Although it started with an unexpected twist, the Las Vegas Raiders had a productive NFL Draft overall. After selecting tight end Brock Bowers, the best player available when it was time for the Raiders to pick, the Silver and Black used its remaining draft rounds to address multiple needs.
Around the NFL writer Nick Shook thinks the Raiders missed the opportunity to move up and select a quarterback. However, he was impressed with the team’s draft haul overall, giving them an "A."
“Well, the Raiders didn’t land a quarterback," Shook said. "That’s what happens when all six of the top signal-callers are selected before Las Vegas' turn on the clock. That was a missed opportunity to me, dropping their grade slightly, but when it comes to consolation prizes, Brock Bowers might be the best possible outcome.”
After trading up in the second round of last year’s NFL Draft, the Raiders undoubtedly needed an offensive lineman and a cornerback more than they needed a tight end. However, the Raiders couldn't pass on a talent like Bowers because they needed other things for one season’s roster. The teams’ roster necessities change every season, even weekly in the NFL.
General Manager Tom Telesco made the best decision for the team in the long term by drafting a talented offensive weapon that can be used in many different ways.
“As arguably the best player in college football in 2023, Bowers would have been a top-six pick in most other draft classes, but because of the run on quarterbacks, he was still available at 13, giving the Raiders an immediate playmaker for whichever quarterback they roll with in 2024,” Shook said.
The Raiders followed the unexpected selection of Bowers by drafting two solid offensive linemen. One of which should start for the team immediately, Jackson Powers-Johnson, who was graded as a first-round talent at one point leading up to the draft. The Raiders got a first-round talent in the second round after selecting arguably the best tight end to enter the NFL in the last decade or so.
“Jackson Powers-Johnson was a projected first-round pick for much of the pre-draft process, so landing him in the second round was a good get,” Shook said.
“The addition of DJ Glaze was wise, too, because it gives head coach Antonio Pierce options at right tackle following the departure of Jermaine Eluemunor. GM Tom Telesco also addressed the Raiders’ need for supplemental help at corner, snagged a running back to compete with Ameer Abdullah for a roster spot, and even added a safety for good measure. Despite not getting a quarterback, this is a pretty darn good class.”
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