Raiders trade down, select tackle Miller
The Raiders chose not to address a defensive need with their firstround pick in the NFL draft, instead adding more protection for quarterback Derek Carr.
Oakland selected UCLA tackle Kolton Miller with the No. 15 pick in Thursday’s first round after trading down from No. 10 earlier in the evening. The team later sent a thirdround pick acquired from Arizona in that trade to Pittsburgh in exchange for receiver Martavis Bryant.
The Raiders did have an opening on their offensive line after releasing last year’s starting right tackle, Marshall Newhouse, early this offseason. Left tackle Donald Penn, meanwhile, turns 35 on Friday, is returning from foot surgery and has a contract that expires after the 2019 season.
Miller, a 6-foot-9, 310pounder who hails from Roseville, played both right and left tackle in college. He started 13 games on the left side in 2017 and was named second-team All-Pac 12.
“He’s a big man who can move his feet,” Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said. “He’s been an offensive lineman pretty much his whole life. He understands the game and he’s an excellent athlete who has great potential.”
Miller had been projected by some analysts as going late in the first round, if not later. Miller said on a conference call that even he didn’t know what to expect, and his contact with the Raiders had consisted mostly of a 15-minute meeting at the NFL combine.
“I’ve been waiting this whole time,” said Miller, who said he got the call from head coach Jon Gruden. “And for that phone to ring, it was sort of overwhelming.”
Miller said he feels “more comfortable” on the left side of the line but is “ready to play either.”
McKenzie didn’t want to predict Miller’s immediate role. He said the Raiders did like what they saw of Miller on video, and that new offensive line coach Tom Cable had a say in the pick.
“When you talk about pad protection and staying in front of his guy, that’s what he does,” McKenzie said. “He’s got the length, he’s got the great feet. You talk about playing at the second level, pulling, this guy’s got a lot of talent.”
Miller joins an offensive-line group that had three Pro Bowl selections last year in Penn, center Rodney Hudson and guard Kelechi Osemele. The Raiders have an interest in protecting Carr, who signed a fiveyear, $125 million extension in June. They were said to be interested in Mike McGlinchey, but saw the former Notre Dame tackle go to the 49ers at No. 9.
After that, the Raiders traded down five spots with the Cardinals, also acquiring Arizona’s third-round (No. 79) and fifth-round (No. 152) picks. They later dealt the third-rounder to Pittsburgh for Bryant, a talented if troubled receiver.
Bryant (6-5, 201 pounds) had 50 catches for 603 yards and three touchdowns last season. He was suspended for all of the 2016 season for a second violation of the NFL substance-abuse policy. Bryant also missed the first four games in 2015 while suspended for violating the policy.