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2018 NFL Mock Draft: Jets fly high with Baker Mayfield

By Brad Weiss

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Josh Rosen No. 3 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pass during the NCAA college football game against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 18: Josh Rosen No. 3 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pass during the NCAA college football game against the USC Trojans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 09: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 09: Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during a game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium on September 9, 2017 in South Bend, Indiana. Georgia won 20-19. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

. Linebacker. Georgia. Roquan Smith. 9. player. 28

The San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders will have a coin toss on Friday to decide who pick in the ninth, and tenth spot respectively. Throughout our mock drafts, we have been placing the 49ers with the ninth overall pick, but we decided to flip the script this week. With the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders will go on and draft linebacker Roquan Smith, who is the best player at his position in this draft class.

Smith is a special linebacker, and the Raiders certainly need help in that area. They may very well bring back NaVorro Bowman, and adding Smith would finally make that position group a strength. There are a lot of solid prospects on the offensive side of the ball, so you can be sure that general manager Reggie McKenzie will focus on the defense in April in the first round, and beyond.

The Raiders were a major disappointment in 2017, and the hope is injecting a new head coach can steer the team in the right direction. Oakland made the decision to bring back Jon Gruden, who was the last head coach to lead this team to any success, although Bill Callahan led Gruden’s roster to the Super Bowl in 2002. This is going to be an interesting team to watch next season, and Smith has the physical attributes to be a standout player from Day one in the NFL.

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