Oakland Raiders: Select Jared Veldheer in the 3rd Round
NEW YORK – With the 69th overall selection (third round), the Oakland Raiders selected Jared Veldheer out of Hillsdale College.
The 2009 All-American selection and Super Three Region’s top vote getter for the Gene Upshaw Award (given to the top offensive lineman in the small college ranks) is one of the tallest to come out of the collegiate ranks in years. Veldheer has been described by scouts to have solid quickness off the snap, a long wingspan and a hard punch to neutralize edge rushers.
Only the 5th player selected out of the small college, the 6’8, 312 pound talent from Grand Rapids Michigan started all 46-games he played in at left tackle. In his last 2-years, Veldheer produced 216 knockdowns, 30 touchdown resulting blocks and an 85.5% grade for blocking consistency.
In all of his campaigns, Veldheer blocked for a 1,000-yard rusher.
Scouts project him as a right tackle and the Raiders have a need there after Cornell Green departed for Buffalo. Tom Cable has stated that veterans Erik Pears and Khalif Barnes will compete for that spot, but Langston Walker could also be in the mix there, as well as right guard.
Veldheer is a project that could potentially be a starter with proper tutelage.
This is the first selection for the Raiders on the offensive side of the ball in the 2010 draft. Oakland had an immediate need to upgrade the offensive line, but Veldheer is too raw of a player at this point and not exposed enough to competition he will face on the next level. That will probably keep him under development for some time for the Silver & Black until he can supplant the veterans on the roster.
