The Raiders are going to spend a lot of the offseason figuring out how to improve their defense. Despite the team investing countless dollars and picks into the unit, it remains one of the worst defenses in the entire NFL.
One position that needs to be upgraded this offseason is the interior defensive line. Maliek Collins’ contract expires at the end of the season and he hasn’t shown enough to warrant a second deal from the team. Maurice Hurst is a nice player, but he will be entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2021.
As we stand right now, the free-agent defensive tackle market does look intriguing, but there aren’t many proven pass-rushers available. Instead, look for the Raiders to use the draft to add depth across the interior defensive line.
In the most recent mock draft at The Draft Network, Jordan Reid has the Raiders selecting Iowa defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon. He is a player that has been building hype over the last few weeks and is now projected to be a first-round pick. Here is why Reid believes the Raiders could be a good match for him in the first round:
“This pick may come as a surprise, but expect this name to skyrocket up draft boards in the coming weeks. The former JUCO transfer has experienced a dominant season for the Hawkeyes. Named as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Nixon is the exact type of penetrating interior defender that the Raiders defense lacks. In a down year for interior defenders, Nixon has planted his flag as being one of the best after not being on the radar at all coming into his first season as a full-time starter.”
In eight games this season for Iowa, Nixon totaled 13.5 tackles for a loss and 5.5 sacks. He’s still a very young player, but you can see the physical tools and ability that make him such an intriguing prospect.
Keep an eye on Nixon throughout the draft process as he is likely to be a player the Raiders consider in the middle of the first round.
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