Las Vegas Raiders have a Top 30 visit scheduled with LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo
The Las Vegas Raiders clearly still need some help on the defensive side of the ball, even if they have done some major work during free agency. They need help at cornerback, safety (depth), and even defensive tackle. There are issues to fix on offense as well, but it seems that a large part of […]
The Las Vegas Raiders clearly still need some help on the defensive side of the ball, even if they have done some major work during free agency. They need help at cornerback, safety (depth), and even defensive tackle. There are issues to fix on offense as well, but it seems that a large part of the offseason will be continued focus on the defense.
The offense is a quarterback and tackle away from being one of the best rosters in the league on that side of the ball. The defense needs to have consistency, and they have to run it back from what they did last season, which saw them end the season as a top-three defense.
With a lot of their money spent in free agency, the needle now moves to the 2024 NFL Draft, where they will have a chance to take a swing on guys who can help them make that jump to the playoffs. They will certainly draft players on both sides of the ball, but it appears they are already showing interest in some of the defensive players in this draft.
According to Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report, the Raiders are scheduled to have a top-30 visit with LSU defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo. On A to Z Sports' Big Board, Wingo is projected to be a third-round pick and is the sixth-best player at the position in the draft. Here are some of the strengths and weaknesses for Wingo:
STRENGTHS
- The first step is quickness to shoot gaps & put the blocker on his heels
- Good play strength & sturdy build. Very difficult to move in the run game
- Overwhelming bull rush. Can line up at 5-tech & flatten tackles with speed-to-power
- Outstanding stack-shed technique. Uses his length to create & maintain separation
- Uses upward, 2-handed strikes to raise the blocker's pad level
- Presses the play side shoulder & folds reach blocks
- Had success with a cross-chop, swim, and club-rip
- Excellent vision & play recognition. Keeps his eyes up as he works through blocks
- Good awareness & effort defending screen passes
- Heavy hands to create knockback & control blocks
WEAKNESSES
- Had surgery & missed games in 2023
- Struggles changing directions in pursuit
- Boom-bust power rusher. He had some dominant wins but wasn't a consistent pocket-pusher.
- Needs to refine his hand placement & timing as a pass rusher
- Average production. Just 58 career pressures
Wingo is a defensive tackle, so it feels like he is being slept on in this draft, and a large reason is that his teammate Maason Smith is also very good. Then, of course, you have the two top defensive tackles also taking some shine. Wingo, with the dominance he did show at times, would be a great fit in Las Vegas.
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