With the NFL draft finally here, the evaluation process is now complete. Now it’s a matter of sorting out who the top players are. A lot goes into putting together a big board. It involves evaluating players and considering their positional value. When tailored for a specific team, the team’s needs and how well players fit into the system are also considered. For this big board, I took my own big board and moved players around based on the Las Vegas Raiders‘ needs and fit. So, if I were to somehow obtain a John Spytek skin suit and infiltrate the Las Vegas war room, this is what the board would look like.
We’ll start with the top of the class…
The Top 10
NAME
SCHOOL
POS (rk)
GRADE
1. Travis Hunter
Colorado
CB/WR(2/4)
Top 3
2. Shedeur Sanders
Colorado
QB(1)
Top 10
3. Cam Ward
Miami
QB(2)
1st Rd
4. Will Johnson
Michigan
CB(1)
Top 5
5. Abdul Carter
PSU
EDGE(1)
Top 10
6. Ashton Jeanty
Boise State
RB(1)
1st Rd
7. Jahdae Barron
Texas
CB(3)
1st Rd
8. Will Campbell
LSU
OL(1)
Top 10
9. Malaki Starks
Georgia
S(1)
1st Rd
10. Tet McMillan
Arizona
WR(1)
1st Rd
Thoughts
It should come as a surprise to nobody that the top three are Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, and Cam Ward. If any of them fall to the sixth pick, the Raiders have to pounce. Some may disagree with Will Johnson being above Ashton Jeanty and Abdul Carter here. However, Johnson’s tape is impeccable; he plays a high-value position that the Raiders have a need at, and he is a perfect scheme fit for Patrick Graham’s defense.
After Jeanty, Jahdae Barron comes in at seven, as he would be an ideal replacement for Nate Hobbs if the Raiders moved back. Thereafter, we get into “best player available” territory with the best lineman, safety, and wide receiver in this class.
There are some notable admissions from this group, which we will get into with our next group…
Numbers 11-25
NAME
SCHOOL
POS (rk)
GRADE
11. Tyler Warren
PSU
TE(1)
Top 10
12. Mykel Williams
Georgia
EDGE(2)
1st Rd
13. Jalon Walker
Georgia
EDGE(3)
1st Rd
14. James Pearce Jr.
Tennessee
EDGE(4)
1st Rd
15. Emeka Egbuka
Ohio State
WR(2)
1st Rd
16. Jihaad Campbell
Alabama
LB(1)
1st Rd
17. Benjamin Morrison
Notre Dame
CB(3)
1st Rd
18. Luther Burden
Mizzou
WR(3)
Late 1st Rd
19. Mason Graham
Michigan
DT(1)
1st Rd
20. Aireontae Ersery
Minnesota
OT(2)
1st Rd
21 Derrick Harmon
Oregon
DT(2)
1st Rd
22. Nic Scourton
Texas A&M
EDGE(5)
1st Rd
23. Matthew Golden
Texas
WR(5)
Late 1st Rd
24. Elic Ayomanor
Stanford
WR(6)
Late 1st Rd
25. Kelvin Banks
Texas
OT(3)
1st Rd
Thoughts
If the Raiders move down into the middle of the first round, they may consider these players. Some may be surprised to see Mason Graham at 19, but there is skepticism about his potential impact. Furthermore, the Raiders are fairly set on the interior of the defensive line with Christian Wilkins, Adam Butler, and Tyree Wilson.
Towards the bottom of this group, there are a few guys that could possibly be available when the Raiders make their second pick. Notably, the Raiders project Stanford wideout Elic Ayomanor to be available at pick 24. If he were to slide, the Raiders could have a chance to nab a stellar complementary receiver to Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers.
Let’s wrap things up with the back half of the top 50.
Numbers 26-50
NAME
SCHOOL
POS (rk)
GRADE
26. Donovan Jackson
Ohio State
OL(4)
Late 1st Rd
27. Walter Nolen
Ole Miss
DT(3)
1st Rd
28. Tyler Booker
Alabama
IOL(5)
Late 1st Rd
29. Alfred Collins
Texas
DT(4)
Late 1st Rd
30. Maxwell Hairston
Kentucky
CB(4)
Early 2nd Rd
31. Omarion Hampton
UNC
RB(2)
2nd Rd
32. TreyVeon Henderson
Ohio State
RB(3)
2nd Rd
33. Kevin Winston Jr.
PSU
S(2)
Early 2nd Rd
34. Colston Loveland
Michigan
TE(2)
1st Rd
35. Armand Membou
Mizzou
OL(6)
Early 2nd Rd
36. Trey Amos
Ole Miss
CB(5)
Early 2nd Rd
37. Jalen Milroe
Alabama
QB(3)
2nd Rd
38. Kenneth Grant
Michigan
DT(5)
Early 2nd Rd
39. Wyatt Milum
West Virginia
T(7)
Early 2nd Rd
40. Tyliek Williams
Ohio State
DT(5)
Early 2nd Rd
41. Josh Conerly Jr.
Oregon
T(8)
Early 2nd Rd
42. Cam Williams
Texas
OL(9)
Early 2nd Rd
43. Tre Harris
Ole Miss
WR(7)
2nd Rd
44. Kaleb Johnson
Iowa
RB(4)
Late 2nd Rd
45. Shavon Revel Jr.
ECU
CB(6)
Late 2nd Rd
46. Shemar Stewart
Texas A&M
EDGE(7)
2nd Rd
47. Marcus Mbow
Purdue
OL(10)
2nd Rd
48. Grey Zabel
NDSU
OL(11)
2nd Rd
49. Deone Walker
Kentucky
DT(6)
2nd Rd
50. TJ Sanders
South Carolina
DT(7)
2nd Rd
Thoughts
Here, we will explore the options available for the Raiders in the second round. Towards the top of this group, running backs Omarion Hampton and TreyVeon Henderson would be terrific picks for the Raiders in the second round. If they take Jeanty first, they could get cornerbacks like Maxwell Hairston or Trey Amos.
Obviously, we have to consider the possibility of a quarterback in this territory. Unfortunately, the only option is Alabama’s Jalen Milroe. Taking him at pick 37 would provide decent value, but he could become a steal in the third round if available. He is a great fit for Chip Kelly’s offense and sitting behind Geno Smith for a couple years would be perfect for a developmental quarterback like Milroe.
Towards the bottom of this group, there are some excellent options that could be available in round three. Kaleb Johnson from Iowa would be a fantastic addition if the Raiders were still in the market for a running back at that time. If cornerback is still in play, Shavon Revel may fall due to injuries, which would be a major steal. Kentucky’s Deone Walker is one guy in this group who will almost certainly be available at pick 68. I am higher on him than most because his combination of size and quickness off the snap gives him a very high floor.
Final Reflection On This Class
Despite the lack of significant elite talent at the top, this class is extremely deep. The top 50 does not fully capture its depth. There are probably close to 100 guys with round two grades or better. If the Raiders do trade down, there has never been a better year to stockpile Day 2 picks.
*Top Photo: Courtesy of NFL.com
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