Oakland Raiders: 7-Round Mock Draft
By Ryan Ratty
Round 5: DT Xavier Williams
On top of their need for a pass rusher on the outside, the Raiders also need a guy that can collapse the middle of the defensive line. Justin Ellis shows promise, however, the Raiders need to start planning for the future after Antonio Smith retires. Having a guy who can jump off the line of scrimmage quickly in the 4-3 defense is huge and a guy in the later rounds that could do that is Xavier Williams.
Although he hails from a lesser-known school, Northern Iowa’s Williams is an athletic player with decent size. On top of Williams’ ability to jump the snap, he also does an excellent job at shooting gaps and getting in the backfield. For a guy his size, Williams is very athletic and while he needs to improve his ability against the run, Williams shows a ton of potential. If he is available in fifth round, the Raiders would fill a need and get a great value.
Next: Round 6: OG Jon Feliciano