Coming into the day, the Raiders didn’t have a fourth-round pick. But with the last few picks in the round approaching, they made a move, jumping up to pick 143 to get safety Tyree Gillespie.
The move seemed a big confusing considering it was the second time the Raiders have made an aggressive move to trade up for a safety in this draft. Early in the second round, they jumped up to get TCU safety Trevon Moehrig at pick 43. But what Gillespie brings to the table is different than what Moehrig brings.
Moehrig is seen as a single-high free safety, while Gillespie’s tape shows a downhill enforcer and run defender.
Gillespie said when the Raiders spoke with him, they didn’t discuss roles. But when I asked him today about the pride he takes in his run defense and hitting, he made it clear how important it was to him.
“I take a huge pride in that part of my game,” Gillespie said of his hitting and run defense. “I feel like that’s what’s missing half the time so that’s what I take pride in the most.”
These qualities are what the Raiders were looking for when they spent a first-round pick on Johnathan Abram two years ago. Which would suggest Gillespie will be competition and depth with Abram at strong safety. And to hear Gillespie tell it, he sounds more like the replacement for the versatility and special teams abilities of Erik Harris who left in free agency to sign with the Falcons.
“I’m versatile so they can just put me on the field anywhere and I can play,” Gillespie added.
“I feel like you just put me on the field and just let me make plays. I’m a playmaker. I’m gonna make a lot of plays, so just put me on the field and let me do my thing.”
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