2019 NFL mock draft: Cardinals select Quinnen Williams

With their third and final selection the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders should once again look to get better on the defensive side of the ball. With their first of three first rounders, they should bring in an edge rusher, before bolstering the secondary with pick number two, making their third pick one to insert in the middle of their defense.

Last off-season, the Raiders brought in Tahir Whitehead from the Detroit Lions to be one of their starting outside linebackers, and he ended up leading the team in tackles in 2018. In order for this defense to get better, they are going to have to add talent to that position group this off-season, and Devin Bush from Michigan is a guy who would fit perfectly and Paul Guenther’s 4-3 scheme.

Bush proved during his time at Michigan that he has the ability to play sideline to sideline, and was one of the hardest hitting linebackers in the Big Ten. The Raiders need to get better on the defensive side of the ball if they’re going to do anything of worth in 2019, especially after winning only four games in Jon Gruden’s return to the sidelines in 2018.

With these three picks, the Raiders will have focused exclusively on the defensive side of the ball, and with an early second round pick, they could start looking at weapons to put around Derek Carr. Oakland has a plethora of draft capital over the next two drafts, including five first round picks, so better times are coming for Raider Nation.