The Oakland Raiders have a top five draft pick this year and the team may target names like Amari Cooper, Kevin White or Dante Fowler and if the team considers trading down in the first round, players like DeVante Parker or Breshad Perriman could be targets and this comes after the team has met with free agent receiver Michael Crabtree about a contract.
The Raiders are coming into the offseason after winning just five games and they have Jack Del Rio taking over as head coach. According to Bill Williamson at ESPN.com, the team is targeting an offensive player with the number four pick, as they would like more weapons for Derek Carr to have in year two. The Raiders have looked at speed in the past as the main factor at receiver and that could push White ahead of Cooper after he put up a great 40-time in his workout.
The Raiders are also in position to trade the pick if they want, as CBS Sports reports that the Miami Dolphins are interested in trading into the top 10. The report says that the Dolphins may look at targeting Leonard Williams or one of the receivers in White or Cooper. While the Raiders may like those players, if they see a mid-round pick like DeVante Parker or Perriman as equal or close to that, it could be worth it to trade down.
The Raiders and Dolphins have pulled off a similar move in the past, with Miami trading up a couple years ago with Oakland to get Dion Jordan. The Raiders still got the player they wanted and got picks for it and now they could try and pull a move like that again. While White and Cooper are considered the top receivers in the draft, as the class at WR is very deep and names like Breshad Perriman, Jaelen Strong, Justin Hardy, Philip Dorsett and Dorial Green-Beckham could be other targets for the team.
If the Raiders sit at the number four pick, they likely will look at Cooper or White, but if one of those players are off the board or a trade happens in front of them, Vic Beasley and Dante Fowler could be options. The Jaguars are expected to take Fowler and that could leave the Raiders with Cooper or White. Cooper is coming off of a monster year with 124 catches and 16 touchdowns, while White had 109 receptions and 10 TDs for West Virginia.
A player like Perriman or Strong could be options later in the draft, while Dorsett is getting attention after putting up a fast 40-time in his workout. The Raiders met with Crabtree and they also could be interested in Greg Jennings in free agency. Jennings has met with the Dolphins and Crabtree also visited with Miami, but neither player signed a deal with the team. According to the Miami Herald, Crabtree is looking for over $4 million and that could be an option for the Raiders, as they have the cap space to handle the deal.
