Of all the new Oakland Raiders offseason additions, tight end Clive Walford has probably seen the most minimal scrutiny. As a third-round pick in the recent 2015 NFL Draft, coming after the team nabbed electrifying pass-catcher Amari Cooper in the first-round, it makes ample sense that the collective attention of Raider Nation was drawn elsewhere. That, however, may be set to change once training camp and the regular season rolls around, as Walford, viewed as one of the most complete tight ends in the most recent NFL rookie meat market, could be set for a significant impact in Oakland in Year One.
"I'm excited to see the Raiders' first three picks. Wideout Amari Cooper might be the best player from this draft, and I've heard a lot of love for defensive tackle Mario Edwards on the personnel front. But Walford has drawn a lot of attention as a guy who could surprise from this draft," writes Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. "He is big and athletic, and might have been the most complete tight end in the draft. The fact that he can block and catch should keep him on the field, and drawing plenty of targets from young quarterback Derek Carr. You hear it over and over on the NFL level: a talented tight end is a young quarterback's best friend. Walford should slide right into that role."
Considering the production the Raiders saw from their tight ends last season - former sixth-round pick Mychal Rivera paced the group, nabbing 58 receptions for 534 yards and four touchdowns, while Brian Leonhardt added six receptions in 12 games and David Ausberry managed just two receptions in six games - It shouldn't be difficult for Walford, should he come into training camp and develop as expected, to make a name for himself once the live bullets start flying.
For Walford's part, he sounds confident in his overall talents, but perhaps not in his ability to impact the Raiders from the get-go.
"I can hop for the ball. I'm a great pass-catcher. I'm a great run-blocker. I'm just a dual-threat tight end," Walford said earlier this offseason. "I'm going to go out to Oakland and just compete. I'm not looking to go start right away. I'm going out there to learn from the veterans and take some of their advice, but you know I'm going to compete at the same time."
Of course, considering Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio intimated around the same time that a starting spot was there for the taking, Walford may need to alter his approach a bit.
Walford, 6-foot-4, 251-pounds, entered the draft process as a surefire pass-catching talent, but faced questions of his health and his blocking ability.
"One of those players who plays faster than he times," NFL Network senior analyst Mike Mayock said at the time, via NFL.com. "He is a vertical threat and catches the ball extremely well. He has work to do as a blocker."
While Walford may not possess elite athleticism, he's a move tight end who can line up in multiple formations and make defenses pay with his hands, versatility and run-after-the-catch ability. Walford did injure his meniscus during the final game of the season, giving teams pause, but by the time the draft actually rolled around it had become clear that he'd dedicated himself to improving his blocking.
As Robinson notes, a strong, capable tight end can be a young quarterback's best friend and with Carr and the Raiders likely looking to implement a strong run game backed by a short, timing-based passing game, the combination of Walford, Rivera and Cooper could become a lethal one in Oakland.
