2018 NFL Mock Draft: Los Angeles Rams select Donte Jackson first round

After recently declaring for the NFL Draft, it didn’t take long for Roquan Smith to see his name skyrocket on boards since the Georgia standout is considered one of the top linebackers at his position, and rightfully so when looking at the impact he’s made on the defensive side of the football. Luckily for the Oakland Raiders, linebacker is one of numerous areas the team will be focusing on improving over the next few months, and chances are Smith will still be on the board when Jon Gruden’s team is on the clock in the first round.

Early on, the Raiders seemed to be living up to the hype of being one of the top teams to beat in the AFC following a 2-0 start, but all that potential quickly disappeared when the team would go on to lose five of their next six games. And while Derek Carr failing to get the best from his teammates on offense deserves a majority of the blame, the defense certainly didn’t help their case after finishing near the bottom of the league.

One of the great features about Smith is how effective he’s proven to be at both stopping the run and defending the pass. If all goes well, Smith will work his way into the starting lineup right away once he officially makes the move to the NFL.