Another day, another draft prospect on Jon Gruden’s radar.
In a matter of 24 hours, the name Alijah Vera-Tucker has been tossed around in two separate reports on the Raiders.
“One name that I started hearing about over the weekend. It’s Alijah Vera-Tucker out of USC, an interior lineman,” Sports Illustrated‘s Hondo Carpender said on Monday on the Pritch and Clay radio show. “I’m hearing that the Raiders, the more they look the more they like. This is a guy slotted somewhere between [picks] 12 and 15.”
On Tuesday, ESPN’s Mel Kiper released his latest mock draft and he has the Raiders taking Vera-Tucker at pick 17.
“The Raiders overhauled their offensive line this offseason, trading away tackle Trent Brown, guard Gabe Jackson and center Rodney Hudson,” Kiper wrote. “Maybe general manager Mike Mayock and coach Jon Gruden knew they could address the O-line in Round 1 because it’s a deep class, but they still have voids to fill. Vera-Tucker is my top-ranked guard, but he really came into his own while playing left tackle for the Trojans last season. He could play either spot for Las Vegas.”
One of the real draws to Vera-Tucker, particularly for the Raiders, is he has the versatility to play multiple positions along the offensive line. The Raiders need a right tackle, which he can play, but they will soon need to find a replacement for guard Richie Incognito, who will be 38 years-old when the season begins.
Certainly the Raiders have a need at free safety, but with the addition of Karl Joseph, they at least have a presumed starter. The same can’t be said about their situation at right tackle. If nothing else, it sounds like Vera-Tucker is at least one of the top possibilities for the Raiders at pick 17.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Tis the lying season for the NFL.
If we’re going to draft a right tackle in the first round we should take someone who will be the right tackle for the next 8-10 years….I’d rather take tevin Jenkins or darrisaw…..but if they’re is a year to to trade up into the top 10 to grab an elite player this is probably it. If we traded to the 8th spot with Carolina we could possibly get peni sewell,rashawn Slater, micah Parsons, or my favorite Patrick surtain jr…..this draft class looks like one of the deepest at pro bowl level talent in the first half of the round so lets stop fuckin around and grab a stud….F blowing it….go RAIDERS
I’m a USC fan and I love Vera Tucker. But the Raiders shouldn’t draft him. Why? Because they need a right tackle. The Raiders have several Guards and a LT who just signed an extension. Vera Tucker would have to learn to play RT. So no. Draft RT Tevin Jenkins instead. He is a RT by trade and is technically sound, nasty, and a downright beast😠 The Best part is he’ll be there when the Raiders pick.