NFL Mock Draft: Raiders Take RB in Second Round

The Las Vegas Raiders are predicted to draft Ashton Jeanty in the upcoming NFL draft by many analysts and websites in mock drafts. While the popular choice, they aren't guaranteed to draft him even if it does make sense for their offense.

Ignoring the possibility that they may not be as high as him as people suggest, they also have other areas of need that are in a similar state as a crisis as their running backroom. Besides, they signed Raheem Mostert out of free agency, who is a player who can at least change the outlook of their ground game for next season.

Their roster could benefit heavily from adding the best player available outside of the top five, and perhaps that's not Jeanty. That could be someone like Jalon Walker, a linebacker who would help their defense transform into a top-ten unit in the NFL.

Ryan Wilson is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he recently published a three-round mock draft. In the first round, he predicts the Raiders will select Tetairoa McMillan, leaving the door open for them to target Omarion Hampton in the second round.

Hampton is a player who's received a lot of first-round buzzes as potentially the second-best running back behind Jeanty in a loaded draft class for his position. In 2024, he had 1,660 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, his second season in a row with more than 1,500 rushing yards and at least 15 touchdowns.

I don't believe Hampton will be available in the second round when the draft occurs less than a month away, but if he is, that should definitely be a player the Raiders target with their high second-round draft pick, given that they didn't use the sixth overall pick on Jeanty.