ALAMEDA — Even P.J. Hall and Brandon Parker were surprised the Raiders drafted them so early last Friday, Hall a second-rounder and Parker the first pick of the third.
Hall, a defensive tackle, comes from Sam Houston State and Parker, an offensive tackle, from North Carolina A&T. The Raiders’ other seven draft picks hail from big-name programs UCLA, LSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Washington and Oklahoma State.
While the pair of Day 2 draftees may not be products of schools with storied backgrounds like Mo Hurst or Arden Key are, the Raiders plucked them earlier than expected for a reason.