Derek Carr, Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack, the young core of the Oakland Raiders, are now all veterans. Having that trio has started to pay off for the Raiders, who pushed into the playoffs last season with a 12-4 record. In addition to those three, the Raiders have an excellent offensive line and secondary.
2017 NFL mock draft: Oakland Raiders go with Zach Cunningham
The Raiders get the linebacker they need in the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
They’re not a perfect team, however, and go into the draft with needs at linebacker and on the defensive line. In the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock, Levi Damien of Silver and Black Pride gives the Raiders a player to make their star trio a star quartet.
24. Raiders: Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
Damien: There isn’t much not to like about Cunningham’s game, especially considering what the Raiders need and what Reggie McKenzie likes. What they need is a middle/inside linebacker who can stop the run, but doesn’t need to come off the field in obvious passing situations.
Cunningham is a tackle machine, averaging just under 10 tackles per game last season. He’s smart, instinctive, rangy, and can drop into coverage with the best of them. Being able to cover the tight end is a big positive as the Raiders have struggled in that area of late. At 6’3, 234 pounds, he has room to put on weight in order to help take on bigger blockers if asked to do so. But his 16.5 tackles for loss each of the past two seasons suggests he does pretty well in that area as it is.
The Raiders have largely ignored the middle linebacker spot as a priority the past few years and it’s come back to bite them. They also allowed weak-side linebacker Malcolm Smith to leave as a free agent this offseason, making for a couple positions that need filled. Cunningham could fill either one.
Analysis: After Haason Reddick came off the board two picks before Oakland’s, this choice became apparent. The Raiders look like a team that is just a couple players away from making a Super Bowl push, and a linebacker is absolutely one of them. While Cunningham may not offer a lot as a pass rusher in the NFL, he doesn’t need to with the Raiders. Instead, he gives them a steady force at the linebacker level who can devour tackles and be an asset dropping in coverage.
Dan’s top five players remaining
- 16. Jabrill Peppers, S, Michigan
- 17. Takkarist McKinley, OLB, UCLA
- 21. Forrest Lamp, OL, Western Kentucky
- 26. Tim Williams, LB, Alabama
- 30. Tre’Davious White, CB, LSU
Raiders picks
- 1-24: Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
- 2-56 (coming April 20)
Coming up tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET is Battle Red Blog picking for the Houston Texans. This pick might be as obvious as Cunningham to the Raiders.
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