| 2 | 16(48) | Stefen Wisniewski | OC | Penn State |
| What he brings: Wisniewski is a limited athlete but has enough short-area quickness and takes good enough angles to excel on the interior. His strength is in his lower body, allowing him to root defenders off the ball when in phone-booth situations. His lack of overall balance and inability to sustain blocks are concerns. How he fits: LG Robert Gallery is on his way out and C Samson Satele could leave in free agency, which leaves a big hole inside. This is a pretty good run blocking group that struggles in pass protection and while Wisniewski is not a gifted athlete, he can really solidify the interior of a unit that really needs a makeover and he will bring toughness. | ||||
| 3 | 17(81) | Demarcus Van Dyke | CB | Miami (FL) |
| What he brings: Van Dyke is a track star with excellent straight-line speed and good ball skills. He is tight in the hips, though, and has trouble limiting separation in man coverage. He also lacks great instincts. How he fits: He is a typical Raiders speed corner, but is he just a straight-line guy? Starters Nnamdi Asomugha andStanford Routt are free agents and backups Chris Johnson, Walter McFadden and Jeremy Ware are not good enough. This is a defense that plays mainly man coverage schemes and that requires special corner skills and Van Dyke gives them some insurance if this unit falls apart. | ||||
| 3 | 28(92) | Joe Barksdale | OT | LSU |
| From New England | ||||
| What he brings: Barksdale is a three-year starter with the arm length and first step to protect the edge when his technique is sound. Problem is, he sometimes takes too long to get set and doesn't have the foot sped to recover. He has the size and tenacity to become an effective run blocker but he is a reach here in our opinion. How he fits: RT Langston Walker is at the end of his career and also a free agent and that is where the Raiders' OL needs help. Young LT Jared Veldheer looks like the real deal and he can play either side, depending on where Barksdale fits. He could potentially become a starter in time at RT. | ||||
| 4 | 16(113) | Chimdi Chekwa | CB | Ohio State |
| What he brings: Chekwa has good size and speed and is solid in run support. He has adequate ball skills and his instincts and awareness are above-average, but he shows some tightness in coverage. How he fits: He is the second CB the Raiders have drafted as they anticipate losses in free agency. They could lose both starters and their backups are not elite guys. Chekwa is a typical Raiders corner as a turn-and-run speed guy who will be asked to play mostly man coverage. | ||||
| 4 | 28(125) | Taiwan Jones | RB | Eastern Washington |
| from New England | ||||
| What he brings: Jones has excellent top-end speed and explosiveness and brings special-teams value as a returner and cover man. He also has the hands to catch well out of the backfield and contribute on third down, though there is some concern about the competition he faced at the FCS level. How he fits: This does not look like a position of great need although he could add some depth. Darren McFadden is a solid starter but his backup Michael Bush could possibly leave in free agency. Behind that there is not a lot to get excited about. Jones doesn't have great size but he has that Al Davis speed and he also has some return ability. ESPN | ||||
The Raiders selected G Stefen Wisniewski with the 16th pick in the second round (48th overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft.
