The Raiders are trying to eliminate all the leaks coming out of their building and apparently they have a real “surprise” coming down the pike.
“From what I understand the Raiders are looking at some kind of surprise pick at number four that would necessitate absolute secrecy,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on Monday.
From Up to the Minute Live: The #Raiders pick at No. 4 could be a big surprise, based on the views of some who won't be there to witness it. pic.twitter.com/YOqY20oBy4
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2019
Rapoport went on to say the Raiders are planning to make “a pick at number four that we are not expecting” and added that it could be someone like Devin White or Dwayne Haskins.
Mixing some common sense into the logic here, the Raiders wouldn’t need to send their scouts home over a “surprise” pick. That’s a lame explanation and no one should buy it. It’s much more likely that Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock just want to go over all the worst case scenarios for the fourth pick and be prepared for each possibility without all the leaks.
What will Gruden and Mayock do if Quinnen Williams and Nick Bosa aren’t on the board when the Raiders are on the clock?
What if Kyler Murray somehow falls to pick four?
Those are tough calls to make and both of the Raiders’ top decision makers understand the importance of keeping the valuable information inside the building – in part because Gruden was burned by leaks a year ago.
Just a guess, but Mayock and Gruden are probably still on the fence about what to do if they can’t get Williams or Bosa. In that case, just a helpful piece of advice… take Oliver and don’t think twice about it.
twitter: @raidersbeat
