Raiders: Re-grading every draft pick of the last 5 years

Grading Raiders 2019 first-round pick: DT Clelin Ferrell – F

Ah, the famous 2019 NFL Draft for the Raiders. Jon Gruden had three first-round picks at his disposal, and he was ready to outthink the room. With the fourth-overall pick, the Raiders took Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell. We hated the pick then, and we hate it more now. Ferrell is still in Las Vegas, but it’s really just as a bit player. He had eight total tackles this season. Name the players who were taken after Ferrell. Devin White, Josh Allen, Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, and on and on. The Raiders made a drastic mistake here. Even though he is still in Vegas, this is a failure.

Grading Raiders 2019 first-round pick: RB Josh Jacobs – B

Josh Jacobs was one of the best running backs in the NFL in 2022. He’s about to head to free agency after his best season. Along with Davonte Adams, Jacobs helped push the Raider offense. Jacobs had by far his best season, but he had two 1,000-yard seasons prior to this one. He finally grew into a bellcow back this year, and he’s somehow the gem of the 2019 draft for the Raiders. Jacobs was a wild pick at the time, but the Raiders somehow struck gold.

Grading Raiders 2019 first-round pick: S Johnathan Abram – D

The Raiders finally had enough of Jonathan Abrams this season, waiving him outright in November. Coach McDaniels gave him a month to prove himself, but his role quickly diminished and he was eventually told to go away. The Raiders tried to trade him, but they got no bites. The Packers picked up Abrams on waivers, before waiving him two weeks later. The Seahawks picked him up, but he didn’t make the positive impact Pete Carroll hoped.

Grading Raiders 2019 second-round pick: CB Trayvon Mullen – C-

Trayvon Mullen was one of the many options to help the Raiders cornerback woes (we’ll get to more later). He came off a successful run at Clemson, just like Ferrell. However, he never really found his niche in the NFL. In his third season, he finally got a starting gig. However, he was injured for most of the season. The Raiders traded him to the Arizona Cardinals this season for a seventh-round pick. That gives the necessary information about Mullen’s Raiders career.

Grading Raiders 2019 fourth-round pick: DE Maxx Crosby – A

Maxx Crosby is one of the crown jewels of their draft classes. Crosby was fighting to make the All-Pro team this season after a great year at defensive end. He had 12.5 sacks and a career-high 20 stuffs. He led the league in tackles for loss with 22. He had 52 quarterback pressures this season. Many thought the Raiders would struggle to rush the passer, and Crosby has been able to do it all by himself. The Raiders have a star in Crosby, and he should be able to do it for years.

Grading Raiders 2019 fourth-round pick: CB Isaiah Johnson – D

Isaiah Johnson was playing well in his first two seasons with the Raiders, but injuries and inability eventually caught up with him. He was cut in training camp in 2021 after a tumultuous 2020 season where he was on injured reserve and the COVID/reserve list multiple times. He bounced around the league before taking 2022 off from football.

Grading Raiders 2019 fourth-round pick: TE Foster Moreau – B-

Foster Moreau is a fine second tight end for the Raiders. They have Darren Waller, but Waller was hurt most of this season. That led to Moreau getting a career-high in receptions, targets, and yards. It wasn’t a star-studded season, but Moreau was able to break 400 yards and added two touchdowns. He’s a fine player who will contribute next season.

Grading Raiders 2019 fifth-round pick: WR Hunter Renfrow – B

It’s hard to grade Hunter Renfrow. He looked like a budding star last season, and many thought he’d do even better with Davante Adams taking a lot of the focus from defenses. It didn’t work out that way, and Renfrow only played 10 games this season. He averaged 33 yards per game, and his touchdowns dropped from nine last season to two this year. Let’s hope the Raiders find a better use for Renfrow in the future, because this was another rare find in the late rounds for them.

Grading Raiders 2019 seventh-round pick: DE Quinton Bell – D

The Raiders took Quinton Bell in the seventh round, but he never appeared for the team. He was placed on the practice squad to star the 2019 season, and he was waived in October. He bounced around before signing with the Falcons, where he will spend this next season on their practice squad.