Which NFL Draft prospects on offense fit the Raiders’ (and Antonio Pierce’s) mold?
By
Vic Tafur
3h ago
When
Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce first met Alabama cornerback Terrion Arnold at the
NFL Scouting Combine, something was off.
“He kind of came in a little lackadaisical,” Pierce said, “and I was like, ‘Hey man, where’s the juice? I heard you had a little stuff to you.’”
Things picked up at that point, and the two resumed their conversation at Alabama’s pro day weeks later. And it was by no means a sales pitch.
“I think it’s good for a person like myself, a former player, to tell him what to expect,” Pierce said. “If he goes first round, he goes back to the bottom of the lineup, right? He’s got to start from scratch and earn his stripes.”
In their pre-draft process, Pierce and Raiders general manager Tom Telesco are looking for talented players with toughness and leadership skills. Which team isn’t?
But based on what we’ve seen from Pierce in his nine games as a coach and from talking to his players, it’s also clear that he values alpha males with an edge. A.P., as he often refers to himself, doesn’t shy away from big personalities and swagger because he has those qualities himself. And while players with injuries in their past may raise a red flag, Pierce values players who have overcome adversity, so that actually may be seen as a strength if the latest X-rays are clean.
We looked at this year’s pool of
NFL Draft prospects to try to find some of those “dawgs” Pierce may be pounding the table for three weeks from now. Here’s our selection of offensive players:
Quarterbacks
Jayden Daniels, LSU: Pierce and Daniels go way back — Pierce thought they could win the Heisman Trophy together at Arizona State — and if the Raiders were confident he would be there at No. 3 or 4, they would likely try to trade up.
Michael Penix, Washington: He overcame two torn ACLs and two shoulder injuries to lead
Washington to the national title game and had clean medicals at the combine. Penix throws the best deep pass in the draft, and that would make Raiders owner Mark Davis happy, too.
Cade Peterson, Grand Valley State: Peterson ran for 21 touchdowns, plays like a linebacker (he goes 6-foot-3, 223 pounds) and looks to make the big play with his arm as well. Could we see a seventh-round flier?
Running backs
Blake Corum, Michigan: Everyone is talking about J.J. McCarthy, but Corum, with his strength and balance, carried the Wolverines offense. Who could forget the look on his face after running for 145 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State last season?
Trey Benson, Florida State: Benson uses his 6-1, 223-pound frame to fight through contact, but he can also cut through the tackles to pick up big yardage. Like Corum, he likely will go in the second or third round.
Tyrone Tracy, Purdue: A later-round target, Tracy has good vision inside and finishes well through contact. Better yet, he is already a good blocker in pass protection and tracks the ball well as a receiver.
Wide receiver
Ladd McConkey, Georgia: Receiver is not a big need for the Raiders, but there are some guys who fit the mold and might be too good to pass up in the third round. The gritty McConkey made some big, tough catches when the Bulldogs were stacking national titles. Any concerns over his back injury last year were erased by his 4.39 40-yard time at the combine.
Keon Coleman, Florida State: Coleman makes up for his lack of speed with his size (6-3, 213) — and knowing how to use it. He plays his position like a bully and also churns out yards after the catch.
Tight end
Cade Stover, Ohio State: He spent his teenage years bailing hay on his parents’ farm and was a defensive end when he first hit campus. Stover plays with a meanness that excites teams. He has only scratched the surface of his potential.
Offensive tackle
Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State: With all the talk of quarterbacks and cornerbacks, the Raiders might be best served drafting a mean right tackle in the first round. Fuaga has the size and quick feet you want, plus a nasty little jab that sets defensive linemen back a little bit. He looks like he thoroughly enjoys steamrolling people in the run game.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State: He’s not as polished a prospect as Fuaga, but he can drop anchor and hold people off with his immense strength.
Kiran Amegadjie, Yale: If you’re going to play at a lesser football school, all you can do is throw people around. Mission accomplished.
Offensive guard
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State: Beebe is not going to wow you at a workout, and there may be questions about whether he is quick enough for the next level. But he has some real power. He plays through the whistle and is not shy about getting in defenders’ faces. He could be an interesting option in Round 3.
Zak Zinter, Michigan: He had numerous pancakes in college, pushing defenders onto their backs, and is recovering from a broken tibia and fibula — which might give the four-year starter in Ann Arbor some good value if the injury pushes him down draft boards.
Mason McCormick, South Dakota State: McCormick is a late-round project, but he has violent, quick hands and showed well at the combine and the Shrine Bowl.