Raiders Draft Prospect: LB Colson of Michigan
The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for ways to improve their roster and they could do that through the 2024 NFL Draft.
The NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up last week, and free agency begins next week, signaling that the offseason will start to accelerate very soon.
The Raiders are in an encouraging position going into the bulk of the offseason. They have a new coach and general manager in place, Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco, respectively. Those two will look for as many ways as possible to find the best fit for their roster.
One of those fits could be Michigan linebacker Junior Colson. One of the most athletic linebackers in the draft, Colson could improve an already strong room for the Silver and Black.
Colson finished his Wolverines career with 256 total tackles, eight and a half tackles for losses, five passes defended and two and a half sacks. He was a significant piece in the Wolverines’ National Championship-winning squad and was named Second-Team All-Big Ten twice.
Michigan linebacker Junior Colson is one of the best inside linebackers in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK
Colson has good size for an NFL linebacker at 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds. On tape, he has a compact build, a slim upper body, and narrow shoulders. He is an impressive athlete in coverage with great speed and fluid hips to cover lots of ground in the open field.
Michigan also frequently used Colson as a blitzer. Whenever he had a free run to the quarterback, he found holes and made plays. If the Raiders select him, Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham could find unique blitz packages in which to use Colson.
Colson is up and down in the running game. There are times when he can bring down a running back in the open field, but then there are times when a blocker gets to him, and he cannot get off the block. He must be consistent as a run defender if he wants to be a three-down player in the NFL.
The Raiders have two linebackers who played well last season, Divine Deablo and Robert Spillane. Still, they could add a third linebacker to Graham’s defense with Colson to bolster their athleticism at that position.
Colson is expected to be among the top linebackers selected in the draft. If Graham finds ways to use him in his defense, he could be a good fit for the Raiders.
The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.
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