The 2015 NFL regular season is over, and that means it's time for some draft analysis with a little bit more real context, as the top 20 picks are now set. Picking No. 14 overall are the Oakland Raiders, and they flirted with playoff contendership for a while this past year. A budding offense was held back by a subpar defense, however, and that'll be a focus in this 2016 offseason. With that said, the Raiders should take UCLA linebacker Myles Jack when on the clock.
Oakland had a good year by its terms, finishing 7-9. Finally, a step up in which they can build from where they have gotten out of the top 10 spots in the draft. What gives even more confidence to fans and analysts alike in this team is the young talent at quarterback, receiver, running back and, of course, Khalil Mack. But Mack was one of the few bright spots defensively the past couple of seasons. The Raiders needs more help on that side of the ball.
That defensive unit gave up a whopping 24.9 points per game, and were also the seventh-worst team against the pass in 2015. Even though their run-stopping numbers were better, they still gave up 4.1 yards per carry. Essentially, nothing was working all that well defensively.
Mack as obviously panned out as one of the best young pass rushers in the league. He's a game-changing talent, but he can't do it alone.
Corner David Amerson had a solid year with 58 tackles and four interceptions, and DT Dan Williams was effective, racking up 48 tackles, three for a loss and one sack. Other than them, only Charles Woodson really stood out for his play, but he's announced his retirement and won't be back for 2016.
Suffice to say, they need help.
While it may make more sense to bring in some help along the defensive line and build from there, you always need to attempt to take the best player available. A true prize at this point would undoubtedly be Myle Jack. The two-way star was a rare athlete who just knows how to make plays.
Jack displayed rare talent, becoming the first player in Pac-12 history to win both Offensive and Defensive Freshman of the Year in his first season. His ability to make plays both offensively and defensively are truly remarkable, and his instincts are simply fantastic.
He's reportedly bulked up to 245 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, and is an ideal size to play linebacker effectively in the NFL. His best asset is his ability to sniff out runs and explode through creases into the backfield. As you can see from the highlights, he's sensational at diagnosing the play and getting through the mess to find the ball carrier. But something else that would really benefit Oakland here is his ability to cover. The athleticism and instincts Jack has extends to playing deeper in coverage comfortably, as he played corner and safety in high school as well as several other positions.
So when the Raiders need someone to cover a talented tight end, Jack would be just the man for the job. While Mack is the pass-rushing specialist, Jack could be the do-it-all linebacker in the middle who could help with the run and in coverage, masking a couple of this unit's deficiencies.
This pick just makes sense for the Raiders, and he'll quite possibly be the best player available at No. 14.
