The Raiders’ draft team selected Illinois defensive lineman Jihad Ward with the No. 44 overall pick and Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun at No. 75.
Head coach Jack Del Rio sat down with local reporters, per the team’s official website, to recap Oakland’s second- and third-round selections. He denied coming into the draft focusing specifically on defensive voids on the roster.
In fairness to Del Rio’s claim, it became a shocker to see Calhoun, a productive edge-rusher, slip through the cracks into the third round.
As far as roster needs, the Raiders have addressed the strong safety and interior defensive lineman positions as expected. Calhoun dropped to No. 75 as a bonus.
Despite ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter’s tweet concerning Ward’s potential pending arthroscopic knee surgery, Del Rio expressed confidence in all three rookies working to earn live snaps in the upcoming season.
In the first round, the Raiders added the presumptive final piece to the secondary with their No. 14 overall pick, safety Karl Joseph. In the second and third rounds, Oakland picked up insurance depth for defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. and Aldon Smith; both defensive linemen face uncertainties in their playing time for the 2016 season.
Based on the depth chart and general manager Reggie McKenzie’s word to “get some help,” per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair, expect the Raiders to draft a running back in Round 4. Beyond that point, the defense needs depth and competition at inside linebacker.
With that said, we’ll go through a final top-100 big board and mock draft for Rounds 4-7. How will Oakland finish off a solid draft class in 2016?
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
