in overtime and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl in two weeks in Atlanta
George Blanda Jersey , they are the clear choice for all Raider fans in that game. The alternative is simply too terrible to fathom, that either the Patriots or Chiefs might win the Super Bowl again.It seems like the Patriots are in the AFC Championship Game every year, because they basically are. The last time the Pats weren’t in this game was in 2010 when the Steelers beat the Jets. The game might as well be renamed the Patriots Invitational at this point.The Chiefs, on the other hand, haven’t been to the AFC Championship since 1993 when they lost to the Bills (who would go on to get crushed by Dallas) and haven’t won the Super Bowl since they were in the AFL. The only good thing about a potential Chiefs win is that it would break up the monotonous, mirthless monopoly held by Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger on the AFC spot in the Super Bowl. The last time none of the three made the Super Bowl was when the Ravens made it in 2013, and before that it was 2002 when Rich Gannon and Jon Gruden led Oakland to the big game. Can Pat Mahomes break that curse? Maybe, but Raider Nation will still be rooting against him. Go Rams! Going all seven rounds just for the Raiders. And there will be trades."Last week I put out my one and only 2-round NFL mock draft of the year. Now with the draft just a day away, it’s time for my Raiders 7-round mock draft.This one will have a few trades as well, just as I suspect the Raiders will be doing in the draft.Round 1, pick 15* – Clelin Ferrell, ED, Clemson*Trade down from pick 4 with Washington. Add picks 46, 96, 2020 selectionMost likely if they are going to get Ferrell, it’s either with a trade down or a trade up to around the middle of the first round. Here I go with the former which also allows them to add more picks in this draft while still getting one of the draft’s top pass rushers. Ferrell is ideal for Paul Guenther’s defense.Round 1, pick 24 – Noah Fant, TE, IowaThe perfect replacement for the departed Jared Cook. Fant is one of two sure first round tight ends in this class along with his Iowa teammate TJ Hockenson. Getting him at the bottom part of the first round is a great value and fills a major need for the Raiders. Round 1, pick 27 – Marquise Brown, WR, OklahomaI see a decent chance they trade out of this spot as well, but should they stay, Hollywood Brown would be a tremendous get late in the first round. It’s also fitting this is the selection they got in the Amari Cooper trade, because Brown has the potential to be an upgrade over what Coop brought to the Raiders while being at least four years away from a new contract. Hollywood can play the slot early on and move outside at any point in the future.Round 2, pick 35 – Jaylon Ferguson, ED, Louisiana TechThat’s right
Jim Plunkett Jersey , a second pass rusher. For a team with the NFL’s worst pass rush last season by a wide margin and just recent addition Benson Mayowa as the lone somewhat proven NFL edge rusher on the team, it makes sense to double up on edge rushers high in this draft. Or at least it does when a guy with 17.5 sacks and 26.0 tackles for loss is on the board.Round 2, pick 46 – David Montgomery, RB, Iowa StYes, I realize I have the Raiders taking offense three times in their first five picks. But they also upgrade their pass rush twice, so what more do you want? A linebacker? Nah, Gruden is running the show and he wants offense. Montgomery is a complete back who would be a tremendous get to go along with Isaiah Crowell. Round 3, pick 81* – Connor McGovern, G, Penn State*Trade pick 96, 140, 235 to MinnesotaThey move up in the third round from 96 to 81 to get McGovern, packaging a couple lower picks in the deal. In McGovern the Raiders get their guard to replace Kelechi Osemele who was traded to the Jets along with a sixth round pick to acquire this pick.Round 4, pick 106 – Marquise Blair, S, UtahBlair is a great get at the top of the fourth. He is outstanding in coverage and has good size too at 6-1, 195 pounds. Yeah, he could stand to add a little bulk, but he has the frame for it. He isn’t shy against the run, so he could line up at either safety spot in Guenther’s scheme.Round 7, pick 218 – Gary Johnson, LB, TexasJohnson barely left the field last season for the Longhorns, putting up 64 tackles, 16.5 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He was outstanding in coverage, seeing very few targets in coverage (20) though he gave up a catch on 17 of those. None of those was for a touchdown. He checks a lot of boxes making him more than worthy of a late round selection. Follow @LeviDamien
in overtime and punched their ticket to the Super Bowl in two weeks in Atlanta George Blanda Jersey , they are the clear choice for all Raider fans in that game. The alternative is simply too terrible to fathom, that either the Patriots or Chiefs might win the Super Bowl again.It seems like the Patriots are in the AFC Championship Game every year, because they basically are. The last time the Pats weren’t in this game was in 2010 when the Steelers beat the Jets. The game might as well be renamed the Patriots Invitational at this point.The Chiefs, on the other hand, haven’t been to the AFC Championship since 1993 when they lost to the Bills (who would go on to get crushed by Dallas) and haven’t won the Super Bowl since they were in the AFL. The only good thing about a potential Chiefs win is that it would break up the monotonous, mirthless monopoly held by Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger on the AFC spot in the Super Bowl. The last time none of the three made the Super Bowl was when the Ravens made it in 2013, and before that it was 2002 when Rich Gannon and Jon Gruden led Oakland to the big game. Can Pat Mahomes break that curse? Maybe, but Raider Nation will still be rooting against him. Go Rams! Going all seven rounds just for the Raiders. And there will be trades."Last week I put out my one and only 2-round NFL mock draft of the year. Now with the draft just a day away, it’s time for my Raiders 7-round mock draft.This one will have a few trades as well, just as I suspect the Raiders will be doing in the draft.Round 1, pick 15* – Clelin Ferrell, ED, Clemson*Trade down from pick 4 with Washington. Add picks 46, 96, 2020 selectionMost likely if they are going to get Ferrell, it’s either with a trade down or a trade up to around the middle of the first round. Here I go with the former which also allows them to add more picks in this draft while still getting one of the draft’s top pass rushers. Ferrell is ideal for Paul Guenther’s defense.Round 1, pick 24 – Noah Fant, TE, IowaThe perfect replacement for the departed Jared Cook. Fant is one of two sure first round tight ends in this class along with his Iowa teammate TJ Hockenson. Getting him at the bottom part of the first round is a great value and fills a major need for the Raiders. Round 1, pick 27 – Marquise Brown, WR, OklahomaI see a decent chance they trade out of this spot as well, but should they stay, Hollywood Brown would be a tremendous get late in the first round. It’s also fitting this is the selection they got in the Amari Cooper trade, because Brown has the potential to be an upgrade over what Coop brought to the Raiders while being at least four years away from a new contract. Hollywood can play the slot early on and move outside at any point in the future.Round 2, pick 35 – Jaylon Ferguson, ED, Louisiana TechThat’s right Jim Plunkett Jersey , a second pass rusher. For a team with the NFL’s worst pass rush last season by a wide margin and just recent addition Benson Mayowa as the lone somewhat proven NFL edge rusher on the team, it makes sense to double up on edge rushers high in this draft. Or at least it does when a guy with 17.5 sacks and 26.0 tackles for loss is on the board.Round 2, pick 46 – David Montgomery, RB, Iowa StYes, I realize I have the Raiders taking offense three times in their first five picks. But they also upgrade their pass rush twice, so what more do you want? A linebacker? Nah, Gruden is running the show and he wants offense. Montgomery is a complete back who would be a tremendous get to go along with Isaiah Crowell. Round 3, pick 81* – Connor McGovern, G, Penn State*Trade pick 96, 140, 235 to MinnesotaThey move up in the third round from 96 to 81 to get McGovern, packaging a couple lower picks in the deal. In McGovern the Raiders get their guard to replace Kelechi Osemele who was traded to the Jets along with a sixth round pick to acquire this pick.Round 4, pick 106 – Marquise Blair, S, UtahBlair is a great get at the top of the fourth. He is outstanding in coverage and has good size too at 6-1, 195 pounds. Yeah, he could stand to add a little bulk, but he has the frame for it. He isn’t shy against the run, so he could line up at either safety spot in Guenther’s scheme.Round 7, pick 218 – Gary Johnson, LB, TexasJohnson barely left the field last season for the Longhorns, putting up 64 tackles, 16.5 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He was outstanding in coverage, seeing very few targets in coverage (20) though he gave up a catch on 17 of those. None of those was for a touchdown. He checks a lot of boxes making him more than worthy of a late round selection. Follow @LeviDamien