Among those newcomers to the Bay Area is a newcomer to the NFL. Connecticut linebacker Sio Moore, who racked up 72 tackles and 7.5 sacks for the Huskies in 2012, was Oakland's third-round pick in last month's NFL draft.
Moore, who was a first team All-Big East performer a season ago, moved around the formation quite a bit at UConn. According to Jenny Vrentas of The Newark Star-Ledger, Moore feels that versatility will serve him well in the NFL:
I've played every position on the field besides cornerback, legit. That’s why I really feel like I am the best linebacker in this class, because I can do everything on the field needed for a linebacker to do, plus more, and aside from that my work ethic and my character, who I am as a person.
Moore's confidence will serve him just as well as his versatility, because Oakland can use all the help they can get at linebacker.
Of the Raiders' starters at linebacker in 2012, only weak side man Miles Burris remains, and Burris was the worst player at his position in the entire NFL a year ago according to Pro Football Focus.
The Raiders took steps to address the position before the draft, adding a trio of veteran linebackers in Kevin Burnett, Kaluka Maiava, and Nick Roach.
The tentative plan before Moore was drafted appeared to be Roach in the middle, Burnett on the weak side (where he played in Miami last year) and Maiava at strong-side linebacker.
However, the addition of Moore would seem to muddy the waters considerably, and it begs the question of how the Raiders can best allocate their resources to maximize the talent on the roster at the linebacker spot.
In order to do that, it's probably wise to first ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
