Draft week has descended upon us! This Thursday, reality hits, and we’ll see if the Day 1 mock drafts are accurate or wildly off base. The Las Vegas Raiders own 12 draft picks heading into the three-day event, including a pivotal No. 7 overall pick in the opening round.
As we’re into draft week, the draft simulations I’ve used to create this and previous versions have ceased some trade scenarios, and thus, a no-trade, straight-up-pick-’em version is what you get here:
Raiders 7-Round Mock Draft: Let The Madness Begins…
Rd. 1, No. 7: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
The Raiders haven’t deployed a wrecking machine on the interior since Darrell Russell. But just like the aforementioned Raider, Carter comes with some maturation concerns. But the new philosophy being installed in Las Vegas should make that part manageable. Carter is arguably the most talented prospect, and if he’s there at seven, Las Vegas shouldn’t hesitate to make him the pick.
Rd. 2, No. 38: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Intelligent, crafty, and able to make plays with his arm and legs, Hooker can develop and learn behind Jimmy Garoppolo before competing for the starting gig. What stands out about Hooker is his ability to remain calm in chaos, coupled with his quick decision-making.
Rd. 3, No. 70: LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
Let’s start with this: If the Raiders take a linebacker in the top 100 picks, then we definitely know it’s a different regime. Campbell has the instincts and athleticism to be a mainstay at middle linebacker and can compete for snaps right away. He’s got the determination to get the most out of his talents.
Rd. 3, No. 100: OL Braeden Daniels, Utah
Las Vegas prefers versatile linemen who can play multiple positions along the offensive line, and Daniels is all that. He can play at either the tackle spot or shift inside and adding him to the mix should make the fight for the right tackle more interesting.
The Raiders get themselves a cornerback…
Rd. 4, No. 109: CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
Seeing LaDainian Tomlinson’s nephew in Silver and Black would be dope. He may be small, but he has big-time production and isn’t afraid to mix it up as a tackler. The Raiders need all the alphas they can get in the secondary.
Rd. 5, No. 141: WR Michael Wilson, Stanford
A wideout? Yes. Wilson is a special team’s ace and can immediately be an impact gunner while competing for punt return snaps as a rookie. The Raiders don’t have ace Mack Hollins anymore and find a capable replacement in Wilson.
Rd. 5, No. 144: LB Owen Pappoe, Auburn
A throwback Al Davis pick, Pappoe is a linebacker with 4.39 timed speed who can be an effective maniac on special teams as he becomes more comfortable on defense. He’s got off-the-chart athleticism and explosive power elements.
Rd. 5, No. 174: TE Will Mallory, Miami
The Raiders don’t have a seam-busting tight end with speed, and in Mallory, they’d definitely get one. A long-strider who can accelerate past secondaries, Mallory isn’t a blocker, but on a team missing a deep-play tight end, he doesn’t need to be one.
Dave Ziegler beefs up the Raiders offensive line…
Rd. 6, No. 204: OG Andrew Vorhees, USC
Vorhees is a menacing and physical lineman who has a strong finisher’s mentality. Unfortunately, an ACL injury at the NFL Combine scuttles his draft stock. But he’s a stash-type player who can heal and develop.
Rd. 6, No. 214: OT Jake Witt, Northern Michigan
Back-to-back stash-and-develop picks here. Witt is big and strong and has desired athletic traits. He is severely underdeveloped, but if the Raiders can get him on point, they’ll have a strong, athletic tackle on their hands.
Rd. 7, No. 220: LB Dee Winters, TCU
As a heat-seeking run-and-chase linebacker, Winters will remind people of Denzel Perryman right away. Way faster than the aforementioned, Winters can bolster special teams while he grows on defense.
Rd. 7, No. 231: FB Hunter Luepke, North Dakota State
A pass-catching fullback with the ability to carry the rock, Luepke will not be mistaken for the sledgehammer blocker Jakob Johnson. However, he offers much more offensively. Like Johnson, though, Luepke is a special teams ace.
This mock features no trades and two prospects who may not be there when the Raiders pick. However, we’ve seen fallers and risers in past drafts, and it’ll be interesting to see what happens in the top two, which will likely set the course for the rest of the first round. Las Vegas needs more competition and depth, and the draft picks above try to address that.
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