The Raiders have selected prospects on three different areas of the field so far in the 2013 NFL draft. Yesterday, they took their top rated prospect, former Houston CB DJ Hayden, in the first round.Today, they added physically gifted but very inexperienced Florida State OT Menelik Watson in the second and solid, if not spectacular, LB Sio Moore in the third.Reggie McKenzie continues to identify and draft players who have the physical abilities to make a smooth transition to the NFL and who are competitive and focused on football.The Raiders have not upgraded several positions that sorely need to be ...
It's time to dig deep in our evaluation of the league's top players. This time around, we're evaluating Colorado tight end Nick Kasa, a projected mid-round pick.If the name Kasa sounds familiar to you and you don't know why, it's because he's the man who outed the league for its bizarre policy of questioning the sexuality of college prospects. Let's leave that story aside and take a look at Kasa's potential as an NFL tight end.Begin Slideshow
The University of Tennessee was loaded with receiving prospects this past season, and Mychal Rivera was one of them.While Rivera wasn't in the same talent class as Justin Hunter or Cordarrelle Patterson, he still showed the ability to be a consistent threat on offense during his three seasons for the Volunteers. He's got the athleticism and pass-catching ability that teams currently love out of tight ends these days.Here are some things you need to know about Rivera, the former Tennessee tight end. Begin Slideshow
Mychal Rivera is a powerful and graceful athlete. He's a tough blocker with terrific pass-catching abilities. He runs crisp routes off quick bursts. Versatility stems from his strong frame and delicate footwork. Great hands, as well. He can roll out for the deep ball just as easily as he can catch and run across the middle.In 2012, he posted 36 receptions, 562 yards and five touchdowns for the Tennessee Volunteers. It was his best season yet. Here are six video highlights which spotlight the best of Rivera.Begin Slideshow
Player Name: Sio Moore Position: OLB School: Connecticut Drafted by: Oakland Raiders Pick Number: Round 3, Pick 4 (66th overall) Tune into the video above to see Bleacher Report’s NFL draft experts break down what this pick means to the Raiders. Questions? Comments? Hit us up in the section below!Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
The Raiders, due to the dubious honor of having one of the worst records in the NFL last year, were one of two teams that coached some of the best senior prospects in the Senior Bowl this year. The Raiders coached the Senior Bowls' North squad and among the players they coached was former UConn LB Sio Moore. Moore wasn't initially invited to the Senior Bowl but after a great showing in the East-West Shrine game and following an injury to his former teammate, former Connecticut LB Trevardo Williams, that opened up a spot on the North squad, he was ...
With the 66th pick in the draft, the Oakland Raiders select Connecticut linebacker Sio Moore. Moore will be brought in to compete for a starting job in the Raiders revamped defensive front seven. Pro OutlookMoore is an impressive athlete and will have a chance to win a starting job in Oakland, likely at the weak-side linebacker position. His strength is his read-and-react ability, and if he adds some strength, he could develop into a quality run defender. He's slightly undersized, but in today's NFL more teams are interested in finding the athletic read-and-react linebackers and Moore fits that profile perfectly. Roster OutlookThe Raiders have ...
Player Name: Menelik Watson Position: OT School: Florida State Drafted by: Oakland Raiders Pick Number: Round 2, Pick 10 (42nd overall) Tune into the video above to see Bleacher Report’s NFL draft experts break down what this pick means to the Raiders. Questions? Comments? Hit us up in the section below!Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
There is basically no position that the Oakland Raiders cannot upgrade in 2013 – they lack starters or depth at every spot.
Therefore, every time the Raiders are on the clock, Reggie McKenzie has the true luxury of knowing that the “best player available" approach will assuredly improve his team. For the Raiders, the best player available for their second round selection, No. 42 overall, was OT Menelik Watson. Click on for some background and analysis on his fit with Oakland.
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The Oakland Raiders continued their tradition of surprise picks in the first round of the NFL draft Thursday evening, and we may see yet another in the early going on Day 2. According to Bill Williamson of ESPN, the Raiders are rumored to be interested in selecting USC signal-caller Matt Barkley in the early second round Friday. Williamson tweeted:As Williamson noted, general manager Reggie McKenzie was in attendance at USC’s pro day on March 27, presumably to get a closer look at none other than the Trojans’ top-shelf quarterback in his first throwing session of the offseason for NFL personnel.Barkley ...