Oakland Raiders: Nasir Adderley solves issue at safety, offers versatility

The Oakland Raiders coaching staff witnessed safety Nasir Adderley emerge as a playmaker Saturday. Where would he fit on the roster?

There’s one player who should don the silver and black colors in 2019. Former Delaware safety Nasir Adderley finished with three Oakland Raiders decal stickers on his helmet — symbolizing his status as a captain and playmaker during the Senior Bowl.

Coming out of Delaware, Adderley emerges as a hidden gem. The 6-0, 200-pound defensive back lined up at cornerback for his first two years then transitioned to safety. He became a ball hawk while lining up deep in the secondary — logging nine interceptions over the last two years.

He flashed his ball-tracking skills when picking off a pass late in Saturday contest:

https://twitter.com/nflnetwork/status/1089289934152687616

Last offseason, the Raiders signed defensive back Marcus Gilchrist to a one-year, $4 million deal, in part because they valued his versatility. The 30-year old can line up at both safety positions and move inside to cover the slot area. Do you see where this is going?

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The Raiders can replace Gilchrist with a younger talent capable of covering the same areas in the secondary. Adderley’s experience at cornerback doesn’t restrict him to off-ball deep-safety duties.

The coaching staff can cross-train and develop the Delaware product into a quality slot defender as well. His size and reliable tackling in open space should allow him to roam the field if necessary. He led the Blue Hens in solo tackles (42) in 2017 and ranked second (48) in the category last season.

Of course, Adderley should master his natural position once he enters the league. If the Raiders select him with the No. 24, 27 or 35 overall pick, the Senior Bowl week standout would certainly take over the free safety spot. Reggie Nelson and Gilchrist will become free agents. The former isn’t likely to return because of his rapid decline over the last few seasons.

Erik Harris is set to become a restricted free agent. Though he’s flashed at times, Oakland needs an immediate upgrade—a starting-caliber player with a higher ceiling. Karl Joseph has been more effective closer to the line of scrimmage—attacking downhill. Secondly, it’s not a foregone conclusion the team picks up his fifth-year option.

Head coach Jon Gruden and company decided to part ways with 2017 second-round safety Obi Melifonwu during the last offseason, which created a need to identify a long-term starter at the position. Adderley would take on the role of an eraser on the back end with the stature to match up against tight ends within the division, specifically Travis Kelce and Hunter Henry, and a growing number of pass-catchers at the position across the league.

Adderley’s Senior Bowl performance put a cap on an impressive week. Gruden and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther had to like what they saw in him during drills and in game action. According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, the fourth-year collegian out of Delaware could become a first-round pick:

"Delaware’s Nasir Adderley was the best small-school prospect on the field all week. A smooth operator at free safety, Adderley could push himself into the first 32 picks of the 2019 NFL draft thanks to his above-average coverage skills and excellent range. He’s a potential day one starter at either nickel or safety."

Initially, Alabama’s Deionte Thompson stood out as the premier safety in this class. The Raiders may miss out on him, but Adderley will likely be available at Nos. 24 and 27.

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It’s plausible general manager Mike Mayock and Gruden target a versatile defensive back to pair with cornerback Gareon Conley in an effort to rebuild the secondary. It’s a justifiable decision considering this defense gave up the most passing touchdowns (36) in 2018.

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