Oakland Raiders: Ranking biggest team needs in 2019 NFL Draft

1. Defensive End

The Raiders will likely double dip at defensive end. During free agency, the front office signed Josh Mauro, Alex Barrett and Benson Mayowa to fill the void. None of the aforementioned players have logged impressive numbers as pass-rushers.

Among the three, Mayowa is the most accomplished in terms of reaching the quarterback. During his first stint with the Raiders, he logged two sacks between the 2014-15 terms. The sixth-year veteran notched six in the category in one season (2016) with the Dallas Cowboys. The 27-year old sacked the quarterback four times with the Arizona Cardinals last year.

Mauro possesses versatility traits, but he’s recorded just three sacks in five years. Barrett had two sacks with the defunct AAF’s San Diego Fleet. He appeared in two games with the Detroit Lions in 2017 but only played 25 defensive snaps.

Clearly, the Raiders still need a lot of help to generate a respectable pass rush, specifically on the edges. If Gruden and Mayock go with the best player available with the fourth overall pick, it’s possible that selection may not be a defensive end. In that scenario, it’s likely Oakland would use the 24th, 27th, 35th or two of those picks to address the position.

Don’t rule out a move to trade down to acquire more capital in the second or third rounds to address the team’s biggest need. If there’s one thing to bank on for an unpredictable draft, it’s the Raiders taking multiple edge-rushers with decent-to-high level collegiate sack production.