With the 2019 NFL Draft just days away, all eyes are on the Oakland Raiders as they hold three first-round picks and seven total to begin building a foundation in the organization.
Three days after it was reported that the team sent their scouts on indefinite leave, the No. 4 pick has become a deeper mystery.
Although it was initially reported that the Raiders would not be taking a quarterback, everything is up in the air now. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that Oakland plans to make a surprising pick at No. 4, via NFL.com’s Kevin Patra:
” ‘That is what I understand. A pick at No. 4 that we are not expecting,’ he said. ‘So what that actually is, I do not know. I have some thoughts. Maybe that’s Devin White. Maybe it’s a quarterback like Dwayne Haskins or Kyler Murray if he’s there. Maybe it’s an offensive lineman. No one has mocked them there — a tackle perhaps. But from what I understand it is a pick that should surprise us at 4.’ “
It is not out of the realm of possibility for the Raiders to trade up or down either, according to Rapoport. Although a surprise pick could mean anything, defense seems to be the most pressing need for the team right now.
The Raiders have worked out a number of players ahead of the draft, including quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, defensive lineman, linebackers and defensive backs. Because of that, it is impossible to predict where they will go in the first round.
