ESPN’s Todd McShay says he knows who the Raiders want to draft with the 10th overall pick and it’s a name that shouldn’t surprise.
“[Roquan Smith] is the guy,” McShay said Wednesday on a conference call with the San Francisco Chronicle.
“I don’t know that they would be willing to give away additional picks later to go up and get him. But he’s the guy they want.”
If it actually happens, Smith would fill a void at linebacker in Oakland that goes at least as far back as Kirk Morrison.
Earlier this month, former Ravens executive Phil Savage called Smith a reincarnation of Ray Lewis.
Savage played a key role in the Ravens scouting department when Lewis was drafted in 1996 and had this to say about the decorated Georgia linebacker:
“I was taken back by Roquan Smith. This kid is a reincarnation of a Ray Lewis who we drafted in Baltimore when I was there in 1996.”
”He’s got passion, energy, burst, acceleration. He makes players around him better.”
”He’s going to be a top-10 pick… [but] the money is not really important to him because he’s cut from that mold that he absolutely loves the sport.”
Smith reportedly met with the Raiders on Wednesday.
twitter: @raidersbeat
*taken aback
Im hoping for smith but I feel the punk Niners will take him at the 9 spot. I’m really hoping for Chubb but that’s a pipedream…
Yea I think niners draft him
I think we should trade up for Chubbs
Smith and Edmunds would be gamesome picks! Fitzpatrick and Ward – great picks. Draft Defense and we will be good to go!
I’d lov to see the raiders get tremaine edmunds
VITA VEA ALL THE WAY!!!
At least we know we won’t be drafting any 30 year olds! 😂😂😂…I hope not 😐😐😐
Like the name. The Mob Rules!
I hope this guy is wrong because I just don’t see it in Smith. Vita Vea or Taven Bryan all the way.
what don’t you see in smith? He’s got great instincts, speed and leadership. He’s what Nfl teams are looking for in a linebacker. Justwinbaby!
Watch his tape and you’ll see. Read the knocks on him. He looks more like a safety. He’ll get run over by NFL running backs.
Niner gunna bite it and choke on a big tree truck before there 1st rnd pick is better than one of our 6th rnd picks
VITA VEA is our guy. He has to be and we need him to free up Mack and Irvin. Otherwise we are left with Eddie V and his torn acl, hester annnnnd? This is why Jelly got the deal he got. There’s noone else. Darius Leonard is a sleeper ILB we can get latter on… A CB in RD2 should be the move after VITA VEA in the first
We gotta get a linebacker a leader for this defense. I like vita a lot but there are gonna be guys in the 2nd and 3rd round we can get at defensive tackle mo hurst Is gonna slip and if he’s not there in the 2nd then Harrison Phillips should be. Justwinbaby!
Can’t go wrong with picking Smith but if Fitzpatrick is also available, I think we’ll pick him. We’ve signed players this offseason who are familiar with our assistant coaches and our new DB coach Ansley is from Alabama. Deja vu, latest version of Charles Woodson, the very first pick of Gruden as a Raider.
Need to get smith or chubb if available, if not gwt vita vea an get Nowusu later in the draft,very underrated player
Derwin James, roquan smith, Edmunds, ward. In that order
Dream scenario, Allen falls, we trade w buffalo, and still get James, then reahaun Evans. Top 5 defense
I love Fitzpatick. But, Fitzpatrick IS NOT Woodson. Woodson was a hall of fame cover corner and faster and more fluid, then he just went on to morph into what Fitzpatrick hopes to be, a hall of fame ball hawking safety. Smith is not Lewis either, please. Does not have the size to be a MLB. I like him, think I like Edmunds better. I think they need to take care of DT before any LB can look good and that requires Vea, or who they believe is the best DT. I think that Vanderdoes, Hester and Edwards can handle the other T positions and Ellis is good for the rotation but Vea or Payne would be great, and they need another cover CB too. For me I’d resign Bowman, and Draft best DT/CB at 10, and same in second round. If they do that it will not be a reach. That said – wouldn’t be upset with any of Ward, Fitz, Vea, Smith or Edmunds and they are getting one of them. Chubb will be gone.
I think I’m the only one who wants us to get Derwin James . We need that type of playmaker in our secondary.