2019 NFL Draft: Oakland Raiders 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
Linebacker is another position not quite as deep in recent years and if the Raiders opt to pass on a player like LSU’s Devin White in the first round, former Clemson Tiger Kendall Joseph could be a target in the middle rounds.
As part of a loaded Tigers defense, Joseph often gets overlooked, particularly with some of the outstanding defensive line talent that played in front of him. But Joseph was quietly one of the team’s most consistent players over the past three seasons as a starter, finishing his career with nearly 300 tackles, 22.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
Joseph’s best traits are his outstanding instincts, showing a keen ability to shoot gaps and understand what an opposing offense is doing in order to put himself in a position to make plays. He doesn’t wow with athleticism but it’s hard to discount his productivity as an integral part of a team that has won two national championships in the past three seasons.
The Raiders have done extensive scouting work on linebackers during the draft process and will essentially have to weigh whether they want a more polished player like Joseph or a high-ceiling, athletic freak like Devin White with the hopes of coaching him to reach that ceiling. If they opt for the former, there’s no doubt that Gruden would love to add Joseph as a leader of the new-look Oakland defense.