For the most part, the three linebackers most associated with the Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft have been Isaiah Simmons, Patrick Queen, and Kenneth Murray. However, there are several intriguing options on the second day of the draft that could help the Raiders in the middle of their defense.
One such name that isn’t getting enough attention from Raiders’ nation is Troy Dye from Oregon. Dye had a monster career with the Ducks, totaling 391 tackles and 41.5 tackles for a loss. He also added 14 pass deflections, 13 sacks, and five interceptions.
Take a look at what Pro Football Focus thinks of the former Oregon linebacker:
Dye isn’t going to win any awards for his physicality or size, but when it comes to staying with players over the middle of the field in coverage and using his length to impact passes, Dye is your guy. This is the direction the position is heading nowadays anyway. Dye is coming off a four-year career as the starter for the Ducks, and he was strong in coverage each of those four seasons. Dye never recorded a coverage grade below 70.9 on at least 250 coverage snaps in any season from 2016 to 2019. That kind of coverage ability at the linebacker position is something that is becoming increasingly valued in the NFL.
In Pro Football Focus’ draft guide, they compared Dye to Falcons’ linebacker DeVondre Campbell. Dye is built like the modern-day NFL linebacker at 6’3, 231 pounds. His ability to run and cover make him an ideal pick for the Raiders in the third round.
Take a look at why Pro Football Focus believes Dye’s best fit in the NFL would be with the Raiders under defensive coordinator Paul Guenther.
When you look at what the Raiders had to work with in 2019 at linebacker, it’s easy to see them targeting one come late April. Tahir Whitehead and Nicholas Morrow recorded coverage grades of 42.2 and 42.5, respectively, last season. While Patrick Queen is the popular selection for the Raiders in the first round, they could opt for Dye later with one of their third-round picks. That would be the more prudent move, as just eight spots separate Queen and Dye on the latest edition of the PFF Big Board
If the Raiders decide to go elsewhere with their two first-round picks, Dye could certainly be a target for the Raiders on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. While he is a bit older than the top linebackers in this class, no one has the experience or production of Dye. Keep an eye on him as a possible target for the Raiders.
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