The 2018 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books.
Let's take a closer look at who the draft experts have the Silver and Black selecting:
Bleacher Report
Expert | Matt Miller
Breakdown: Even after selecting cornerback Gareon Conley in the first round last season, the Oakland Raiders are in need of help at the position. The prospect of pairing Conley, who missed most of the 2017 season with a shin injury, and Josh Jackson looks like an instant fix for a secondary that was torched often last year.
Jackson has ideal size (6'1", 192 lbs) and grabbed eight interceptions in his junior year before entering the NFL draft. He doesn't have blinding speed (4.56 seconds in the 40) but is quick and physical at the line of scrimmage. His press and bail technique are the best of the top-tier corners I've studied.
The Raiders could look to get younger on the offensive line with this selection, but new coach Jon Gruden should resist the urge to draft offensive players and instead focus on fixing his defense.
CBS Sports
Expert | Chris Trapasso
Breakdown: Smith is a speedy, rocked up off-ball linebacker who'll remind Jon Gruden of Derrick Brooks. Linebacker is a huge need for Oakland. The Raiders don't need to over-complicate things here.
Expert | R.J. White
Breakdown: The Raiders must go to work improving all three levels of their defense, Khalil Mack can't do it alone. Smith has excellent power and speed at the linebacker position and should be a force as a three-down linebacker for this unit for years to come.
ESPN
Expert | Mel Kiper Jr.
Breakdown: This match makes too much sense, so I'm sticking with it. Smith could be the centerpiece of Jon Gruden's defense, playing inside linebacker. He had 137 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season, and he was a force in the College Football Playoff, making plays from sideline to sideline.
Expert | Todd McShay
Breakdown: Oakland has needs all over on defense (CB, LB, edge rusher) and not enough available cap room to make huge upgrades in free agency. Smith would be a good building block for the Raiders' defense, as a rangy weakside linebacker with fast eyes and terrific closing speed. He's also a great leader and possesses tremendous football character.
NFL.com
Expert | Lance Zierlein
Breakdown: The Raiders have been in need of help at inside linebacker for a while, and they get an ascending playmaker in this spot.
Expert | Bucky Brooks
Breakdown: Explosive athlete with the speed and movement skills to blossom into a CB1.
Expert | Daniel Jeremiah
Breakdown: Alexander is coming off a phenomenal combine performance and Oakland needs an upgrade in the secondary.
Expert | Charley Casserly
Breakdown: Edmunds is the best all-around LB in the draft.
Expert | Charles Davis
Diagnose, run, hit. Diagnose, run, cover, hit. Rinse. Repeat. I love this playmaking thumper so much that I voted him third for last year's Heisman Trophy.
Expert | Chad Reuter
Breakdown: Vea's combination of strength and athleticism gives him an excellent chance of being picked in the top 10.
USA Today
Expert | Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
Breakdown: Oakland's defense has little to offer outside of Khalil Mack and needs assistance at almost every level. With excellent instincts and a knack for finding the ball, Smith might end up a foundational figure for whichever team drafts him.
Pro Football Focus
Expert | Steve Palazzolo
Breakdown: The Raiders are still looking for a viable threat opposite Khalil Mack and Chubb offers a three-down option on the edge. He's outstanding in the run game, where he rarely loses and finished second in the draft class with a run-stop percentage of 11.0. Chubb has continued to improve as a pass-rusher, where he has the burst to challenge tackles and pairs that with the power and hand usage to win off the edge.
WalterFootball.com
Expert | Walter Cherepinsky
Previous Selection: Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
Breakdown: The Raiders need to upgrade every area of their defense. Cornerback, linebacker and defensive tackle are seen as the big problem areas, but Oakland also needs a dynamic edge rusher to start across from Khalil Mack.
Jon Gruden could see Marcus Davenport as his next Simeon Rice. Davenport is a highly athletic edge rusher who has been generating tons of buzz lately. He could be a top-10 pick with a strong pre-draft process, and he's off to a good start by performing well at the Senior Bowl.
SB Nation
Expert | Dan Kadar
Breakdown: When most draft prospects give boring, vanilla answers, James made a daring proclamation at the combine: He's going in the top 10. For the Raiders, the ultra-versatile and athletic James can be lined up all over the field. He'd mostly be a linebacker for Oakland, which suits his ability to come up and use his strength to attack the ball.
MMQB
Expert | Albert Breer
Breakdown: The Raiders would be lucky in this scenario—their biggest hole would be filled by the best available player. Smith is a heat-seeking sideline-to-sideline linebacker who could man the Oakland middle for a decade.
