The past two drafts, the Oakland Raiders have selected in the top five. This year, the Raiders found themselves in the middle of the first round, but still found a highly-rated player on defense. Despite missing much of the 2015 season because of injury, the Raiders felt strongly enough about West Virginia safety Karl Joseph to take him with the 14th overall pick.
Raiders take Karl Joseph at No. 14.
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) April 29, 2016
The Raiders have built a strong, young nucleus on the front seven of the defense, but the secondary has struggled. Last seasons, the defense allowed an NFL-high 12 touchdowns to opposing tight ends. Joseph will immediately provide an upgrade and should start Week 1 if healthy.
Here’s what he brings to the Raiders according to his scouting report from our George Stockburger.
"A natural strong safety, Karl Joseph brings physicality and great instincts to the field. He’s got a nose for the football and is always a part of the play by taking decent angles and watching the quarterback’s eyes. As a strong safety, he is able to play against the run and make decent hits to bring down smaller receivers.Joseph can also drop into man coverage and take away receivers. That versatility makes him even more special in a draft filled with defense."