Raiders: Joe Thomas breaks down the two best offensive tackles
With all the weapons the Las Vegas Raiders have added this offseason in Austin Hooper, Jakobi Meyers, and DeAndre carter, new Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo shouldn't have any issues finding someone to throw the ball too. But, you can have all the weapons you want. If there is no protection, it just doesn't matter. The […]
With all the weapons the Las Vegas Raiders have added this offseason in Austin Hooper, Jakobi Meyers, and DeAndre carter, new Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo shouldn't have any issues finding someone to throw the ball too. But, you can have all the weapons you want. If there is no protection, it just doesn't matter.
The Raiders have most of the offense figured out in terms of what it will look like during the season. They have the running back in Josh Jacobs, one of the best in the league last year. They have the receiving corps, probably the best four guys in the league. They have the tight end in Austin Hooper, and now they have Jimmy G. But, their offensive line needs some work.
As far as the guys we know for sure will be on the offensive line – are Kolton Miller and Dylan Parham. Jermaine Eluemunor could start day one too if the Raiders don't take a tackle in the draft. But, if they were to take a tackle in the draft at their seventh pick, there are two guys that one Hall of Fame offensive lineman thinks are the best in the draft.
"I think they're both exceptional athletes," Joe Thomas said. "They're both studs like they both look at the part of left tackle, not massive guys… I would say there wasn't the one guy that he said, wow, he could be a hall of Famer because he's just got everything in. He's massive and he's strong and he moves amazingly. But the guy that would be closest to that, in my opinion, was Paris Johnson because he did move. He showed his explosiveness, he showed his ability to bend.
"I thought he had pretty good techniques. So I think he's probably the guy with the highest ceiling. But I think Broderick Jones is a guy that potentially could be not the steal of this draft, but could end up being the best offensive lineman from this draft because he's kind of a little bit raw right now. But when you watch him, he can be really dominant at times."
Those two guys, Paris Johnson out of Ohio State and Broderick Jones out of Georgia are guys that should be on the Raiders' radar. They need offensive line help, and both guys can play either side of the tackle position and maybe even play as a guard if they need to.
There is a lot of talk about the Raiders possibly going with quarterback still with pick seven, but, McDaniels has also said that they could just take the best football player on the board. They have a ton of needs on the defensive side of the ball, so there is always that as an option too.
But, if they were to go, offensive lineman, let's hope they get either of these two guys.
