Category: Raiders NFL Draft

Offensive line still the biggest need for Raiders entering 2024 NFL Draft

Offensive line still the biggest need for Raiders entering 2024 NFL Draft

The Raiders have three defined needs entering the NFL Draft: QB, OL, CB. How they decide to address those needs will be incredibly fascinating. The Raiders only have three picks inside the top 110, which will make filling all of their needs very difficult.

But what need is the biggest for the Raiders entering draft weekend? And which one must they address early in the draft?

In a recent article by Vic Tafur of The Athletic, he wrote about the biggest need for the Raiders entering the draft and explained why it’s on the offensive line. Here is a snippet of what he thinks about the unit going into the draft:

The Raiders also would love to add a No. 1 cornerback, but the most glaring hole on the depth chart is on the right side of the offensive line. Third-year player Thayer Munford Jr. will get a shot to replace the departed Jermaine Eluemunor at tackle (as well as getting a look at right guard, according to GM Tom Telesco), but the Raiders need to add a free agent and/or a couple of draft picks at those spots.

Munford is expected to start at either right guard or right tackle, but the Raiders need another quality offensive lineman to fill the other spot that he doesn’t take.

The good is that there should be several quality offensive linemen available to the Raiders at No. 13 including JC Latham (Alabama), Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State), and Amarius Mims (Georgia). All three were starters at right tackle for their respective teams and would make them intriguing Round 1 picks for Las Vegas.

Expect the Raiders to leave the first two days of the draft with at least one starting-caliber offensive lineman. It’s their biggest need and they appear dead-set on addressing it early this year.

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Could Alabama RT JC Latham be a perfect fit for Raiders?

Could Alabama RT JC Latham be a perfect fit for Raiders?

The Las Vegas Raiders are in search of offensive line help, but they are really looking for a long-term solution at right tackle. Kolton Miller has been fantastic at left tackle, but they have yet to solve their right tackle need.

Which offensive tackle in the 2024 NFL Draft makes the most sense for Las Vegas? In a recent article by Matt Bowen of ESPN, he wrote about 20 players and their best fit in the NFL.

One prospect that Bowen wrote about was Alabama RT JC Latham, who is widely viewed as a top-15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He believes that he could be a perfect fit for the Raiders at No. 13:

Latham could elevate the Raiders’ offensive identity under coach Antonio Pierce given his physical play style. A true road grader, he has the power to displace defenders and move the line of scrimmage, plus he has the quickness to match in pass protection.

In Vegas, Latham would project to be a starting right tackle, opposite of Kolton Miller on the left side, giving the Raiders two edges up front. In 27 career starts at Alabama, he allowed just two sacks.

Latham doesn’t have great foot quickness, but his size (342 pounds) is overwhelming in the run game. He is a physical blocker who loves to drive defenders off the line of scrimmage. If the Raiders want to get more physical on the offensive line, Latham is the perfect fit.

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What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at RB ahead of the Draft

What Condition Raiders RB Position is in heading into the Draft

With the Draft just weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ running back position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starters: Zamir White, Alexander Mattison
Backups: Ameer Abdullah, Brittain Brown, Sincere McCormick, Tyreik McAllister

White played well in the final five games of last season after Josh Jacobs was lost to injury. But new GM Tom Telesco made it clear he didn’t want a workhorse back, but rather a committee in the backfield. Mattison has been a part time player for most of his five-year NFL career. He put up a career-high 700 yards on 180 carries last season along with 30 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Condition: Stable

Notes: From the looks of it, the Raiders have the duo they like in White and Mattison. Though the depth is suspect. I wouldn’t put it past them to take a running back in this draft, but it would likely be no higher than a day three pick should someone they like happen to be there later than they expected.

What Condition the Position is in: Assessing Raiders level of need at QB ahead of the draft

What condition Raiders quarterback position is in ahead of the draft

With the Draft just weeks away, it’s time to check in on the Raiders’ quarterback position to give it a condition of either Strong, Stable, Unstable, Serious, or Critical.

Starter: Gardner Minshew
Depth: Aidan O’Connell, Anthony Brown Jr

O’Connell started the latter half of last season as a rookie. He did an admirable job, but never showed he was close to being the answer. Minshew has the right attitude to fit in with this team and started a career-high 13 games last season in Indianapolis. He joins his fourth team in six NFL seasons.

Condition: Critical

Notes: While the addition of Minshew helps relieve some pressure for the Raiders in the draft, it doesn’t signal they will shift away from it as their top priority. They simply must be thinking quarterback at the top of the draft and do whatever they have to do in order to get someone they believe can be a day one starter.

Vikings, Raiders have top odds to draft Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Where will Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. be drafted? Raiders are the No. 2 favorite per oddsmakers.

Many teams will be looking for their next franchise quarterback in the draft at the end of this month. But only a select few are in good position to get one of the top prospects. For the rest of the teams, they must take a bit of a risk if they want a QB.

Few other quarterbacks in this year’s draft are considered more of a risk-reward player than Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. He has tantalizing arm talent and an impressive resume, but also a worrisome injury history. And he’ll turn 24 in May.

For which jersey the oddsmakers have him holding up on draft night, we go to BetMGM, which has the Vikings and Raiders as the most likely destinations.

The Vikings are the first QB-needy team outside the top 10. They pick at No. 11. Adding to the likelihood is that they have a second pick in the first round (No. 23). So if Penix were not selected in the top half of the first round, they may have another shot at him on Day 1.

Next up are the Broncos at No. 12, but the oddsmakers don’t like them to land Penix as much as the Raiders at No. 13. Then it’s the Seahawks at No. 16, which would make him a local favorite.

What I read from this is the oddsmakers think Penix will come off the board in the top half of the first round. And if that were the case, a trade down by the Raiders, or an attempt to trade back up into the bottom part of the first round to get Penix, may mean they miss out on him.

The only other QB in this draft after Penix who is considered a fringe first-round pick is Oregon’s Bo Nix.

One sleeper name to watch for Las Vegas Raiders during 2024 NFL Draft

One sleeper name to watch for Las Vegas Raiders during 2024 NFL Draft

To say that the Raiders have had mixed results in Round 1 love the last decade might be the understatement of the century. They’ve only hit on a few first-round choices, including Kolton Miller (2018) and Josh Jacobs (2019), over the last eight years.

However, they’ve been really good at identifying Day 3 players. Maxx Crosby, Hunter Renfrow, Nate Hobbs, and Thayer Munford were all Day 3 selections who turned into good starters. So who could be the Day 3 sleeper this season that could help the Raiders right away?

In a recent article by Matt Miller of ESPN, he wrote that Washington RT Roger Rosengarten could be a potential solution for the Raiders at right tackle:

A two-year starter at right tackle for the Huskies, Rosengarten could be an immediate starter at right tackle after not allowing a single sack in his past 1,158 passing downs.

Rosengarten is widely expected to be picked sometime in the third or fourth round and that is excellent news for teams like the Raiders. Las Vegas could use their early-round picks to address the defense and still grab a starting-caliber offensive lineman after the first 75 selections.

Keep an eye on Rosengarten throughout the draft process as he could be a potential pick for Las Vegas this year.

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Sportsbooks believe the Raiders could select a cornerback in Round 1

Sportsbooks believe the Raiders could select a cornerback in Round 1

One market in sports betting that has become increasingly popular in NFL circles is the NFL Draft. Players are now wagering on the NFL Combine and when and where each player will be selected.

But sportsbooks can also help us understand where a player might land in the upcoming draft. Or, which position a team might target in Round 1.

In a recent piece by Pro Football Focus, they took a look at the betting odds and lines for every team in Round 1. For the Raiders, the sportsbooks believe that the Raiders will take either an offensive lineman or cornerback in Round 1.

In the mock draft done by PFF, they had the Raiders selecting Alabama CB Terrion Arnold at No. 13. Here is why they believe that could happen later this month:

The Raiders are another wild-card team to trade up for a quarterback, but here they take Terrion Arnold to bolster the backend of their defense. Las Vegas is +175 to take a cornerback on DraftKings, second only to the team taking an offensive lineman with its first pick.

It’s worth noting that the odds and lines vary depending on the sportsbook, but most agree that offensive line and cornerback are the most likely outcomes for the Raiders in Round 1. Arnold may be the top cornerback in the class and his inside/outside versatility is what Las Vegas lacks in their secondary.

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Raiders mock draft roundup as we hit April

As we enter draft month, here is the latest Raiders mock draft roundup

It’s Draft month! That means we are just weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft. The Scouting Combine is in the rearview and Pro Days and team visits are in full swing.

With more to examine, mock drafts become more focused in on the players they think each team will select in the draft. The Raiders have the 13 overall pick.

We went back to the days after the first wave of free agency to offer a wide range of what the mock draft community thinks the Raiders will do with their selection.

Date Publication Player
3/29 CBS Sports (Stackpole) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/29 Draftwire (Popejoy) Michael Penix, QB, Washington
3/29 Fox Sports (McIntyre) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/29 NFL media (Edholm) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/28 33rd Team (Mosher) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/28 CBS Sports (Edwards) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/28 DraftTek (staff) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/28 Tankathon (staff) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/28 NFL media (Davis) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/28 The Ringer (Kelly) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/28 The Huddle (Bonini) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/27 CBS Sports (Trapasso) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/27 SB Nation (Acosta) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/27 USA Today (Middlehurst-Schwartz) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/27 Yahoo Sports (staff) Michael Penix, QB, Washington
3/27 Draftblaster (staff) Michael Penix, QB, Washington
3/26 CBS Sports (Podell) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/26 ESPN (Tannenbaum) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/26 NFL media (Brooks) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/25 Draft Countdown (Hallam) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/25 The Draft Network (Eisner) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/25 The Athletic (Standig) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/25 Pro Football Focus (Spielberger) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/25 CBS Sports (Galko) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/25 Draftwire (Risdon) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/23 Sportsnaut (Buller-Russ) Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
3/22 CBS Sports (Fornelli) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/22 NFL media (Reuter) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/21 The Athletic (staff) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/21 NFL Draft Scout (Bissett) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/21 Last Word on Sports (Tatum) JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan
3/21 Touchdown Wire (Barbieri) Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
3/20 CBS Sports (Brinson) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/20 Newsday (Klopsis) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/20 San Diego Union Tribune (Brown) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/20 33rd Team (Valentino) Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn St
3/19 Draft Countdown (Bosarge) JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan
3/19 ESPN (Kiper) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/19 Fox Sports (Klatt) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/19 NFL media (Jeremiah) Michael Penix, QB, Washington
3/19 Sporting News (Iyer) Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
3/19 USA Today (Davis) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/18 CBS Sports (Wilson) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/18 NBC Sports (Rogers) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/18 Pro Football Focus (Sikkema) Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3/18 The Draft Network (Fowler) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St
3/18 The Score (Staff) Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
3/15 ESPN (Meche) Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
3/15 NBC Sports (Dvorchak) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/15 The Ringer (Solak) JC Latham, OT, Alabama
3/15 Touchdown Wire (Farrar) Michael Penix, QB, Washington
3/14 Outkick (Zaksheske) Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3/12 The Athletic (Baumgardner) Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon St

Most picked players: Taliese Fuaga (13), JC Latham (9), Terrion Arnold (7), Olumuyiwa Fashanu (6), Quinyon Mitchell (6), Michael Penix (5), Amarius Mims (2), JJ McCarthy (2).

Picks by position: Tackle (30), Cornerback (15), Quarterback (8)

Offense: 38

Defense: 15

What positions each NFL GM drafted in top 100 picks since 2011

Where Bill Belichick, Les Snead, Tom Telesco and some of the NFL’s longest tenured GM’s used their draft capital since 2011.

Do tendencies tell us anything about what your NFL GM will do with their picks in the top three rounds? It might. At very least it could tell you what positions they value and don’t shy away from.

Former NFL analytics person Arjun Menon put together a spreadsheet of GM’s across the league to see where they spent most of their draft capital over the past 13 years. And it had some interesting results.

In terms of percentage, no team spent more draft picks on any single position than Ravens GM Eric DeCosta with 29.41% (5) of his picks in the top 100 on wide receivers.

If you’re looking at raw numbers, it was Rams GM Les Snead and his seven picks (20.50%) on wide receivers that leads the way.

Along with wide receiver, the positions that seem to be selected most with the top 100 picks are edge rusher and cornerback. Bill Belichick spent seven picks on each position which easily led any other position.

While the least picked position would be center, with many GM’s — including Belichick and Snead — having never selected one in the top 100.

The most drafted position for Raiders GM Tom Telesco in his ten years with the Chargers was linebacker which he selected 15.62% (5) of the time. Next up he had four pick each at wide receiver and guard (12.5%).

Overall, Telesco’s range of picks was spread out somewhat evenly. He used at least one pick at every position and had no positions even reach 16% of his picks.

Antonio Pierce calls GM Tom Telesco ‘magician’ in terms of drafting quarterback

Is Tom Telesco really the ‘magician’ in terms of drafting quarterback that Antonio Pierce thinks he is?

Regardless of how you feel about the hiring of Tom Telesco, for the Raiders, the former Chargers is seen as the right guy at the right time.

First and foremost, Mark Davis opted not to go with any first time GM’s because he had already decided to go with first time head coach Antonio Pierce. In this situation, Pierce was to be surrounded by experienced people to allow Pierce to focus on motivating his players.

But there’s also the issue with the Raiders heading into the draft with a need at QB for the first time in a decade. That’s an area where they like Telesco’s experience.

“I got Tom Telesco in there. Got the magician. Figure out what he’s got up his sleeve,” Pierce told NFL media’s Carol Smith. “He’s done it for a long time. I got a lot of trust in him. I think he’s seen it wherever he’s been. Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, becomes a GM with the Chargers, Philip Rivers, Justin Herbert. So he knows something about quarterbacks. So I’m going to let him figure it out.”

Yes, Telesco has “seen” great quarterback play. Though he can’t really be credited much for it.

The Chargers landed franchise QB Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick after Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa had been selected. Making for one of the more no-brainer picks in the draft as the Chargers were moving on from Philip Rivers and there was a significant dropoff at QB in the draft after that. They were taking whichever of the three QB’s were on the board.

Andrew Luck’s selection carried even less suspense. Telesco had just been promoted to VP of football ops from director of player personnel. The Colts had the number one overall pick and Luck was the obvious choice at first overall.

Peyton Manning was also a number one overall pick and he was selected the same year Telesco joined the team as an area scout. So, needless to say Telesco was not influencing anything with that pick. Philip Rivers was already a veteran on the Chargers when Telesco joined those team.

So, at best Telesco may be a good judge of the kind of intangibles great quarterbacks should possess because he shared a building with several in his career. He’s been lucky enough to have only experienced one full season without one of those four quarterbacks behind center. And that was the notorious “Suck for Luck” season.

Pierce and the Raiders are banking on Telesco’s up-close-and-personal experience with these QB’s translating to the Raiders finding their own answer at quarterback in this year’s draft.

The Raiders currently sit at 13 overall. Most expect the top four quarterbacks — Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, and JJ McCarthy — to be off the board by then, with a dropoff at the position after that.

Next up would be Michael Penix and Bo Nix, but both are considered late first round or early second round prospects.

This means for the first time in his front office career Telesco’s QB magic skills will be truly put to the test.