Over the last several years, the Raiders have been one of the league’s best drafting teams on Day 3. They’ve selected multiple players who have gone on to make Pro Bowls and have discovered several other key contributors.
But which player in this draft makes the most sense for the Raiders on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft?
In a recent article by Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about the ideal Day 3 fit for every team headed into the 2023 NFL Draft. For the Raiders, he named Army defensive end Andre Carter II.
Here is what he had to say about Carter and his potential fit with the Las Vegas Raiders:
Carter’s tools are reminiscent of Maxx Crosby’s coming out of Eastern Michigan. The Army product, though, is even further behind where Crosby was from a weight room perspective. His talent is undeniable, as he tied Aidan Hutchinson for the highest pass-rushing grade in the country in 2021.
Carter was extremely productive for Army, racking up 26.5 tackles for a loss and 20 career sacks. However, his game took a step backward in 2022 as he totaled just 3.5 sacks in 10 starts.
To make matters worse, Carter ran a 4.91 40-yard dash at his Pro Day and had well-below-average jumps at just 256 pounds. He needs a lot of time in an NFL weight room and probably will need to be redshirted as a rookie.
However, there is potential here as he’s a long, bendy rusher who has the work ethic to be a star in the NFL. If the Raiders are willing to be patient, they could find another stud pass rusher on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
Don’t be surprised if the Raiders show interest in Carter at some point during the selection process.
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