ALAMEDA — The Raiders appear set at defensive tackle with nearly 700 pounds of what edge player Khalil Mack called “meat and potatoes.”

With Dan Williams and Justin “Jelly” Ellis on the interior, it gives coach Jack Del Rio that kind of stout middle he enjoyed as head coach in Jacksonville with John Henderson and Marcus Stroud, or even back when he was linebackers coach with the Baltimore Ravens when the tackles were Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams in 2000.

Throw in fourth-year player Stacy McGee and Leon Orr, a practice squad promotion last season, and it would seem the Raiders need not use one of their premium draft picks on a defensive tackle.

Problem is, when the NFL draft begins Thursday night, big men could be center stage and Del Rio and general manager Reggie McKenzie share the philosophy of winning with big people.

“One of the best defensive tackle drafts I can remember,” NFL Network analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah said. “I can’t remember so much depth of talent.”

How much talent? One of those tackles, potential first-round pick A’Shawn Robinson of Alabama said, “Five years from now they’ll say it was the best … better than the class with J.J. Watt and Marcel (Dareus).”

Dareus was the third overall pick of Buffalo in 2011, while Watt, a 3-4 end, went No. 11 to Houston. That first round also included Nick Fairley (now of the Rams) at No. 13 and Muhammad Wilkerson to the Jets at No. 31.

The website NFLdraftscout.com lists 10 defensive tackles with grades of second round or better with as many as seven possibly going in Round 1.

Analyst Mike Mayock of the NFL Network sees so many good tackles he wonders if teams might resist pulling the trigger and instead opt for something else.

“You may see teams go for a position of need because the depth is so great,” Mayock said. “For instance, we’d better get that receiver now because we can still get a tackle.”

McKenzie and Del Rio revealed little in their mandatory pre-draft press conference, but defensive tackle remains in play at No. 14 or possibly in the Day 2 second and third rounds.

The Raiders, like all NFL teams, rotate their defensive linemen, so getting work for a new player as well as more rest for Williams and Ellis would be no problem.

McKenzie is also of the “best player available” school, meaning his belief is to add the best player to the roster and figure out playing time later rather than reach for a need position and come up empty.

If Louisville defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins were to be available at No. 14, the Raiders would be tempted. At 6-foot-3, 299 pounds, Rankins is more of a true “three-technique” player along the lines of Warren Sapp or John Randle whose job it is to shoot gaps and play with explosion rather than wall off the line of scrimmage.

Rankins, who excelled during the week of practice at the Senior Bowl, agreed with Alabama’s Robinson concerning the strength of his draft class on the interior line.

“You look top to bottom, the names speak for themselves,” Rankins said. “You look at my tape, you can see me doing a lot more things. I feel like I can grasp any defense and play all three downs.”

Other interior stalwarts include Jarran Reid (6-4, 307) of Alabama, Mississippi State’s Chris Jones (6-6, 310) and Mississippi’s Robert Nkemdiche (6-3, 294). Nkemdiche presents a dilemma in that he was considered a first-round lock but missed the Sugar Bowl following an arrest after falling out a hotel room window from 15 feet. Nkemdiche admitted to drinking and maintains marijuana found at the scene was not his.

The Raiders in the McKenzie era have mostly kept their distance from players with character concerns. He has changed his mind on occasion in cases if the player in question shows remorse and regret and has an abundance of talent.

Other tackles worth a look on the first two days include Baylor’s Andrew Billings (6-1, 311), LSU’s Vernon Butler (6-4, 323), UCLA’s Kenny Clark (6-3, 314), Penn State’s Austin Johnson (6-4, 314) and Texas’ Hassan Ridgeway (6-3, 303).

For more on the Raiders, visit the Inside the Oakland Raiders blog at ibabuzz.com/oaklandraiders. Follow Jerry McDonald on Twitter at twitter.com/Jerrymcd.