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Raiders Mailbag: Top prospects to look at as NFL Combine nears

Julian Henry from Mississippi asks:

"Is Joe Milton III in consideration for us to draft? I think the potential is there. Are fans overlooking him?

When you take size, speed and athleticism into account, Tennessee's Joe Milton III resembles 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson.

Milton is a 6-foot-5, 235-pounder with a cannon for an arm. Despite being one of the older QB prospects (23 years old) in the 2024 draft class, he has a lot of untapped potential. After winning the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl MVP, he followed up with an impressive 2023 season, completing nearly 65 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards and 20 touchdowns in the air. The dual-threat playmaker also added seven touchdowns on the ground.

He was invited to the 2024 Reese's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, where he flashed in practices but did not have the best outing in the annual showcase. He led the American Team in passing yards (80), however he threw two interceptions in the 16-7 defeat to the National Team.

Milton has been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana, and if he attends, he might not be overlooked for too much longer. He brings a lot of college experience and already has an NFL physique, so it would be wise to keep him on your radar as a potential Day 2 or 3 pick in April.

Jack Haroutunian from Colorado asks:

"Are the Raiders actively seeking Fields from Chicago?"

There's no way to tell what the Chicago Bears will do, and it's even more uncertain whether the Raiders will be suitors.

As the Chicago Bears hold the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, many are predicting them to trade Justin Fields and select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. If that's the case, the Raiders could potentially make a move for Fields to compete with Aidan O'Connell for the starting quarterback job.

The move for the Bears quarterback doesn't seem impossible considering the Silver and Black just hired Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator. He coached Fields in the same role for two seasons in Chicago. In that span, Fields threw for 33 touchdowns and broke the league record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game (178) in 2022. That same year, Fields became the third quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.

Robert Davies from Ontario, Canada asks:

"Championship teams usually have dominant lineman on offense and/or defense. The Raiders already have Maxx, will any more become available?

There are several players eligible in free agency and in the draft that the Raiders could take a swing at to pair with Maxx Crosby.

"The Condor" is coming off his best season in the NFL, recording career highs in sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (23), quarterback pressures (50) and total tackles (90). The Raiders also have young, developing edge rushers on the other side with Malcolm Koonce, who had a career-high seven sacks, and 2023 first-rounder Tyree Wilson.

With that being said, the Silver and Black could look to add some star power up the middle to pair with Crosby, Koonce and Wilson. For starters, two-time All-Pro Chris Jones will be a free agent, coming off his eighth season and third Super Bowl title with the Kansas City Chiefs. He finished the 2023 season with a 90.3 pass rushing grade from Pro Football Focus and notched his second straight year with double-digit sacks. Two other great options would be Miami Dolphins Christian Wilkins, coming off a career-high nine sacks, or Pro Bowler Leonard Williams, who played with the Seattle Seahawks and New York Giants last season.

As the Raiders currently hold the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, several mock drafts predict the team selecting defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. The Texas Longhorn was named Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year after racking up 8.5 tackles for loss his junior season. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein labeled Murphy as a "explosive and extremely powerful for his size" player who would seem to be "an easy selection for the Raiders in this spot."

View photos of the draft prospects that top analysts are predicting the Raiders may select at No. 13 overall. (Last updated Tuesday, February 27, 2024).

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