1. DE Khalil Mack (40)
2. WR Amari Cooper (35)
3. OT Donald Penn (32)
4. CB Gareon Conley (24)
5. RB Marshawn Lynch (19)
6. G Kelechi Osemele (15)
7. C Rodney Hudson (13)
8. G Gabe Jackson (11)
T-9. DE Mario Edwards (10)
T-9. OT Marshall Newhouse (10)
The highest ranking for any rookie in the AFC West belonged to Gareon Conley, with his 24 points here. Conley scored a No. 2 (Klemko), No. 3 (Burke) and No. 4 spot (Baskin), although he fell off the other two ballots.
Mack captured four of a possible five first-place votes. Offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse carried the fifth (Klemko), which was enough to move him into the Raiders' top 10. Falling just shy were a trio of important defenders: Reggie Nelson, Bruce Irvin and Karl Joseph. Both Nelson (Marston) and Irvin (Burke) did have one fifth-place vote each, but that was not enough to offset Newhouse's 10-pointer.
Eric Single defends his fourth-place vote for OT Austin Howard: Howard was in part a placeholder vote for whoever wins the starting right tackle job (reported summer front-runner Marshall Newhouse, like Howard, is no safe bet to last 16 games). Either way, Derek Carr's injury overshadowed the debilitating impact left tackle Donald Penn's late-season injury had on the Raiders' line, and as long as Howard remains on the roster, he will be a pivot point for Oakland's offensive flexibility.
Other Raiders receiving votes: S Reggie Nelson (eighth); LB Bruce Irvin, S Karl Joseph, OT Austin Howard, WR Cordarrelle Patterson (seven); DE Denico Autry (six); WR Michael Crabtree, S Sean Smith, TE Jared Cook, LB Cory James (five); RB Latavius Murray (three); S T.J. Carrie (one)
