Since the Raiders brought back Jon Gruden, he has made several questionable trades and draft picks. One of the most recent selections that has failed was 2018 second-round pick P.J. Hall from Sam Houston State. After failing a physical with the Vikings after a trade, the team released Hall after just two seasons.
While it’s easy to sit back and critique every selection using hindsight, it’s only fair to give credit to Gruden (and Mike Mayock) when they get things right.
In a recent article by ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, he ranked all 32 teams by their talent under the age of 25. The Raiders came in at No. 17 on his list, but the biggest takeaway was his praise for the way the front office has found talent on the third day of the draft. Here is a snippet of Barnwell’s thoughts on how successful the team has been on Day 3 of the NFL Draft:
“For all the negatives, Mayock and Gruden deserve credit for their talent evaluation in the later rounds. With 35 hurries and 10 sacks, fourth-round defensive end Maxx Crosby was way more productive in his rookie season than his first-round counterpart Ferrell. Hunter Renfrow and Foster Moreau were Day 3 selections who showed tremendous efficiencies of 7.9% and 29.6% DVOA on a limited number of targets as rookies.”
Barwell also praised the selections of early-round picks such as Trayvon Mullen and Kolton Miller, but it was the selections of Crosby, Renfrow and Moreau that caught his eye. Of the three names listed above, Crosby is the only one locked into an every-down role, but all three are expected to be key contributors during the 2020 season.
The Raiders are also hoping that their 2020 picks on Day 3 can help contribute if needed. Cornerback Amik Robertson was one of the most productive defensive backs in college football history and appears destined to play in the slot in the NFL. Offensive guard John Simpson won’t open the season as a starter, but could easily work his way onto the field if an injury happens.
If the team can get anything from those two players this year, it would be a great sign that the 2019 draft wasn’t just luck for the Raiders. Instead, it would signal that Gruden and Mayock know how to find late-round talent.
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