Raiders trade back, take tackle Miller at No. 15
ALAMEDA — The Raiders selected former UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller with the 15th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.
Oakland traded down from the 10th pick to No. 15, where they grabbed a potential starter at right tackle after the release of last year’s starter, Marshall Newhouse. Miller could also be insurance at left tackle if Donald Penn’s foot injury takes a turn for the worse, before he potentially becomes the starting left tackle when Penn (assumingly) retires after the 2019 season, though no dead cap money accompanies his deal in 2019.
The Raiders have arguably the best interior offensive line in the NFL with Kelechi Osemele, Rodney Hudson and Gabe Jackson, but the tackle spots were inconsistent last season, especially on the right side.
Here’s what Miller said at the NFL combine about the difference between left and right tackle:
“It’s tough when you’re practicing one position and you’re training your muscle groups to do one specific action and then all of a sudden, ‘Hey, do it on the other side.’ It’s really not the same. It’s something that you do over and over again in practice and you have to develop. It’s really hard to switch from one side to the other.
“I’d say I’m more productive at left tackle because that’s where I took all the reps this year, but my redshirt freshman year I was interchanged
right to left. But I feel more comfortable at left right now.”
In exchange for the 10th pick, Oakland received picks 15, 79 and 152.
Raiders trade for troubled Steelers receiver Bryant
New Raiders coach Jon Gruden continued to follow late owner Al Davis’ motto of “Just win, baby” by acquiring troubled Steelers wide receiver Martavis Bryant during the NFL draft Thursday night.
The Raiders traded a thirdround pick (No. 75 overall) to the Steelers for the speedy Bryant, who has been suspended by the league in two of the past three years.
The 26-year-old Bryant, who caught 50 passes for 603 yards and three touchdowns for Pittsburgh last season, is certainly one of the more talented receiving threats. He’s a 6-foot-5 receiver who once clocked a 4.27 in the 40-yard dash. However, he was also suspended for the entire 2016 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy after being penalized four games for a similar violation in 2015.
Bryant also caused some angst in Pittsburgh last season by demanding a trade because he wasn’t happy getting the third-most offensive targets on an offense featuring All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown and All-Pro back Le’Veon Bell.
Bryant is scheduled to make $1.91 million this coming season, the last year of his contract, and should replace Seth Roberts in Oakland’s three-receiver sets.
Last week, the Raiders signed free-agent cornerback Daryl Worley after the Eagles released him following his arrest on suspected DUI.
Earlier Thursday, Oakland had an extra third-round pick to use to bolster their passing attack when it earlier swapped first-round picks with the Cardinals, going from No. 10 to No. 15 and gaining a third-rounder (No. 79) and a fifth-rounder (No. 152).
The Raiders selected UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller, a 6-foot-9 beast from Roseville, with the No. 15 pick Thursday.