Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: Zacch Pickens, DL, South Carolina
As the Las Vegas Raiders prepare for the 2023 NFL Draft, they have poured through a large amount of data and information they have gathered on the different prospects in this year’s class.
The Raiders have holes they need to fill on defense, and with their 12 picks, they have a great opportunity to do so. One area they can improve is along the defensive line, whether on the interior or off the edge.
There is one player in this draft who can help them on the interior, and that is South Carolina’s, Zacch Pickens. A former five-star high school recruit, Pickens offers versatility from either defensive tackle spot.
Let’s look closer at Pickens and see if he would fit in the Silver and Black.
Pickens was ranked as the No. 8 overall player in the class of 2019 by 247sports.com and was the top-ranked defensive lineman in the class. In his career with the Gamecocks, Pickens posted 131 tackles, 11.5 tackles for losses, and seven and a half sacks.
Pickens' quickness off the ball is the first thing that stands out. He has an elite get-off that allows him to shoot gaps efficiently. He’s violent with his hands and disrupts offensive linemen easily.
Some of the main concerns about Pickens’ game is that he is not the biggest player for his position. He is listed at 6-4 and 300 pounds, and occasionally this playing size has caused difficulty for him. He also might not offer a ton of upside as a pass rusher.
Pickens offers potentially good play on the interior defensive line with some versatility. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham could use him differently due to his great physical tools, despite lacking the desired size and frame.
If the Raiders are looking for a versatile interior defensive lineman on the second day of the draft, Zacch Pickens might fit perfectly.
The 2023 NFL Draft will go from April 27-29 and be held at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo. The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period began at 4 p.m. EDT on March 15.
The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this offseason.
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