2013 NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders Draft Grade
By Blake Meek
Apr 26, 2013; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raider first round pick D.J. Hayden holds a Raiders helmet during the press conference at Oakland Raiders headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
1st Round 12th Overall — D.J. Hayden CB, Houston — B
Hayden was considered by some to be the best corner in the country before his freak accident. If he can stay healthy he is an electric player and a possible #1 corner.
2nd Round 42nd Overall — Menelik Watson OT, Florida State — B+
Watson is an extremely raw player who had tremendous upside. Watson is a really athletic player who projects to play either tackle position or even inside at guard.
3rd Round 66th Overall — SioMoore OLB, Connecticut — A
Moore is one of my favorite players in the draft. He can provide a pass rush from the outside linebacker position in a 4-3 defense. He can play either strong side or weak side linebacker.
4th Round 112th Overall — Tyler Wilson QB, Arkansas — A-
Wilson has a lot of things to like about him. He is a tough player who isn’t afraid to stand in and take a hit to make a throw. However he has some flaws. His decision making last year was really bad.
6th Round 172nd Overall — Nick Kasa TE, Colorado — A-
Kasa is a big TE at 6’6″ and 269 pounds. He is a really good inline blocker who will be able to help in that regard right away. He needs to improve his receiving ability, but he shows deceptive speed on the field as well.
6th Round 181st Overall — Latavius Murray RB, Central Florida — B+
Murray is one of those big running backs that comes out and shows great speed at their pro day. Murray is 6’2″ tall and weighs in at 223 pounds. At his pro day he showed great athleticism running his 40 yard dash in 4.38 seconds.
6th Round 184th Overall — Mychal Rivera TE, Tennessee — A-
Rivera is the receiving tight end to go along with the blocking one they got earlier in Kasa. Rivera has good hands and is a tough receiver. He moves the chains consistently.
6th Round 205th Overall — Stacy McGee DT, Oklahoma — C+
McGee didn’t have the production on the field that most thought he would and he had multiple off the field incidents. He has talent however, has yet to put it together.
7th Round 209th Overall — Brice Butler WR, San Diego State — C+
Butler has good size and had an outstanding pro day. He ran a 4.36 40 while having a 39 inch vertical and a 10 foot 9 inch broad jump. However, wasn’t very productive at San Diego State.
7th Round 233rd Overall — David Bass DE, Missouri Western — B+
Showed his pass rush ability at the East-West Shrine game. Was an extremely productive player and pass rusher at Missouri Western. The big question is can he do it against better competition.
Overall — B+
The Raiders had a solid draft. It might have been a little early for Hayden with his injury history, but his talent is undeniable. Watson is a good value in the 2nd and really fits a need, though pretty much any position fits a need. Sio Moore is an absolute steal and will make an immediate impact on that defense. Wilson won’t start this year and will battle with Terrelle Pryor for the #2 QB job. Kasa and Rivera will give the Raiders 2 very different options at the tight end position. Murray could end up being a contributor by the middle of the year, especially if Darren McFadden gets hurt again.