Raiders select elite defender in latest Touchdown Wire mock draft
In all likelihood, the Raiders will be using their first-round pick on a defensive player. With most of the offense returning, the defense will be the focus for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden as they try to improve the league’s worst-ranked defense from 2020.
One player that will be squarely on their radar is Michigan defensive end Kwity Paye, who is widely believed to be one of the best pass-rushers in this year’s draft. While his college production isn’t ideal, he is a freaky athlete with his best football still ahead of him.
In a recent mock draft by Doug Farrar of the Touchdown Wire, he had the Raiders selecting Paye at No. 17. Here is what he had to say about the potential pairing in the first round:
“Paye is still a bit rough from a technique standpoint, but you can’t teach his athleticism, and he can win from every gap. Throughout his three-year stint with the Wolverines, he has been tasked to line up everywhere from the edge to nose shade, and his 22 total pressures in just 138 pass-rushing snaps in 2020 prove the potential.”
If the Raiders want to add upside to their defensive line, Paye would be a fantastic fit. He can play all over the defensive line and would give Gus Bradley another athletic edge rusher to pair with Maxx Crosby and Clelin Ferrell. Paye might be the favorite at pick No. 17 as we head into March.
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