Paul Gutierrez breaks down the 2016 Oakland Raiders draft class.

Round 1, Pick No. 14: Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia | Highlights

My take: Joseph is a hard-hitting safety in the mold of Mike Mitchell, who was supposed to be the second coming of Jack Tatum. Not so much. Joseph is more Earl Thomas. And while Joseph might not be as raw as Mitchell, not with five interceptions for the Mountaineers last year, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety is coming off a serious knee injury that limited him to four games. Three of his interceptions came in one game, against Georgia Southern. Whether he makes an immediate contribution is not an immediate factor for the Raiders, as strange as that might sound for a first-round pick. "By watching the tape, you can feel the passion," Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie said. "He'll run and hit whatever moves." McKenzie also said Joseph checked out fine medically. "The doctors gave us the thumbs up," he said, adding that the safety would be ready to play this season.

Rebuilding the secondary: The Raiders' last line of defense needed an overhaul after Charles Woodson's retirement, and free agency helped the team in that regard, as Oakland signed cornerback Sean Smith and safety Reggie Nelson. Adding the hard-hitting Joseph, so long as he's healthy and ready to roll, as McKenzie said, gives the Raiders a ball hawk in the secondary. Nate Allen figures to be the starting strong safety, but Joseph, who had 284 tackles in 38 starts over his college career, could also play significant snaps.

Breaking out: The only other West Virginia defensive back to go in the first round in the common NFL draft? Try Adam "Pacman" Jones, who went No. 6 overall in 2006. In fact, the Mountaineers have had four first-round picks in the past five drafts, after having four total from 1967 through 2011.

Round 2, Pick No. 44: Jihad Ward, DE, Illinois | Highlights

My take: A curious selection. Ward, who suffered a knee injury in August camp for Illinois, may need arthroscopic knee surgery that would sideline him for six weeks, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. And Ward is seen as depth with last year’s second-round selection, Mario Edwards Jr., who is still recuperating from a neck injury. Still, a team can never have enough pass-rushers. While Ward is seen as an athletic specimen at 6-foot-5, 295 pounds in the mold of Lamarr Houston, the newest Raider had 1.5 sacks for the Illini last season and he played in a 3-4 defense, while Oakland’s base is a 4-3. Ward is a fighter, though, especially with his circuitous route to the NFL via junior college and lengthy bus rides to school.

Underdog role: Ward, who moved from receiver, tight end and safety to the defensive line in junior college, is from Philadelphia and was Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media, so it’s not as if Ward is a highly touted second-round pick. He had 24 tackles, two for a loss, with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two pass break ups. Pro Football Focus gave Ward a D-plus. Looking for a Raiders connection? He was Illinois’ Wright Commitment to Excellence Award winner. So, there’s that.

Surgery up next? Ward said his right knee was “scoped” in college due to a “small tear in the meniscus” and said he expects to be checked out by the Raiders' medical staff upon arriving in Alameda. And if surgery is needed, he will have it sooner, rather than later. “Anything I can do to make the team better,” he said. “Three-technique, or inside, pass rush, or setting the edge. I want to win. I will do everything in my power to win. … I’m just there to be a part of the team and make the team great.”

Round 3, Pick No. 75: Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michiagan State | Highlights

My take: Many observers were actually more impressed with the Raiders’ third-round selection of Calhoun than that of second-rounder Jihad Ward. And for good reason. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Calhoun, whom coach Jack Del Rio sees as more of a defensive end/SAM linebacker, had 23 career sacks at Michigan State, including nine last season. “He’s a very productive young man, really understands how to rush the quarterback,” Del Rio said. “He’s been an All-American and he’s been a very productive guy at a good college program. We feel good about fortifying the front. That’s what we were able to do today -- add strength and depth and competition to the front.”

Can you ever have enough pass-rushers? No. At least that’s the Raiders’ thought process. Beyond drafting Calhoun and Ward, Oakland returns All-Pro Khalil Mack, potentially Mario Edwards and Shelby Harris on the line, with newly signed Bruce Irvin at linebacker. “It wasn't like we orchestrated to come out with that being the case,” Del Rio said. “We have a lot of areas where we feel like we can strengthen, add competition to the roster, add depth and it just worked out that way.”

Experience counts: Calhoun, who graduated with a degree in criminal justice, was a three-time All-Big Ten selection. His 27 career sacks are the second most in school history, and his 26 sacks the past three seasons are tied for the most in the FBS over that time frame.

Round 4, Pick No. 100: Connor Cook, QB, Michigan State | Highlights

My take: Hmmm, the Raiders already have a franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, who was the team’s second-round pick in 2014, and a more-than-serviceable backup in Matt McGloin. And yet, the thought remains teams should draft a QB every three years or so. The Raiders, in trading up and surrendering one of their fifth-round picks, No. 154 overall to the Cleveland Browns, did more than add a top 4-ranked QB in the draft -- Oakland also blocked the Dallas Cowboys, who were up next, as well as the division rival Kansas City Chiefs from taking Cook. Does Cook, who is seen as a prototypical pro style quarterback while pasing for 3,131 yards on 56.1 percent passing with 24 TDs and 7 INTs in 13 games last season, fit in Oakland? Sure, so long as he knows his role and accepts it. He fell to the seventh quarterback selected as the result of a purported me-first attitude. As one longtime draft observer noted on NFL radio, maybe Cook can learn to be a good teammate from Carr. Then again, might Cook have been selected as trade bait?

Round 5, Pick No. 143: DeAndre Washington, RB, Texas Tech | Highlights

My take: The Raiders needed a backup running back for Latavius Murray and the pinball-like Washington fits the bill. At 5-foot-8, 200 pounds, Washington is a threat to catch passes out of the backfield -- he caught 41 passes for 385 yards and two TDs last season -- and is a change-of-pace back running the ball -- he averaged 6.4 yards per carry in rushing for 1,492 yards and 14 TDs -- but he may have to make his mark with the Raiders as a return specialist, though he last returned kicks as a freshman for the Red Raiders.

Round 6, Pick No. 194: Cory James, LB, Colorado State | Highlights

My take: The Raiders have depth issues at middle linebacker when they are in their base 4-3 defense so James, who made the switch to the middle from the outside last year, would seem to be a fit. But at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, James has been more effective rushing around the end. His sack totals have dropped from 8 to 6.5 to 2 the past three seasons. Still, he has 25 career sacks in college but no interceptions. He’s more of a developmental player than someone who might make an immediate impact, meaning a special-teams role is probably his initial calling.

Round 7, Pick No. 234: Vadal Alexander, G, LSU | Highlights

My take: The Raiders are already loaded on the offensive line, a unit whose projected starters are about an average of 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, so why would they need another road grader in a guard like the 6-6, 329-pound Alexander? Why not? Alexander is versatile in that he can play both left guard and right tackle and was the No. 2-rated guard in the entire draft, per numerous scouting services. Alexander has long arms and strong hands and with feet that leave something to be desired, he projects more as a guard initially in the mold of Gabe Jackson, who should be moving to RG with the addition of free agent LG Kelechi Osemele.