The Raiders are expected to draft an offensive lineman early in the 2022 NFL Draft. But with the team not having a selection in the first two rounds, the earliest that could happen is in the third round.
So is there a starting-caliber offensive lineman available that could help the Raiders right away next year?
In a recent mock draft done by the five draft analysts at Bleacher Report, they had the Raiders selecting offensive guard Lecitus Smith from Virginia Tech at pick No. 86. Here is a snippet of their thoughts on the pick:
“B/R NFL scout Brandon Thorn loved his physicality and noted that “once he gets latched, the rep is typically over.”
Targeting a guard could be a smart move. When you look at All-Pro guards over the years, there are plenty who were selected after the first two rounds, including Wyatt Teller, Joe Thuney and Marshal Yanda.”
If the Raiders were to select Smith at pick No. 86, that would signal that the Raiders believe one of Alex Leatherwood or Brandon Parker could handle the right tackle job. Smith is a guard-only and they already have John Simpson (and Denzelle Good) on the roster.
Smith is certainly a player that could be an option for the Raiders late on Day 2. Keep an eye on him as a potential selection at No. 86.
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