Let’s shake things up
Monday, we conducted a Las Vegas Raiders’ full mock draft with no trades. Then, Tuesday, we did a full mock with trades that began with a trade down in the first round.
With the draft now just a day away (dear lord, thank you), we are conducting a mock with a trade up in the first round.
This has been a good exercise to find out the pro and cons of how the Raiders should approach the draft.
Let’s get it done:
First round
Arizona Cardinals trade No. 3 to the Raiders for No. 7, No. 38 and No. 70,
No. 3: Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Ka-boom. This is a franchise changing move. The word is Stroud or Alabama’s Bryce Young are the players the Raiders would make a move up for. So, with the Houston Texans taking a defensive player, the Raiders make their move. Yes, the price is high and yes, they have a ton of other needs, but if Stroud is the answer, this franchise finally on the right track.
Third round
No. 100: Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly:
With the pick obtained in the Darren Waller trade with the New York Giants, the Raiders are finally back on the clock and take a much-needed corner. This is the second mock I have Kelly, a Las Vegas product, headed to the Raiders. He’s a good, sound player and decent value here.
Fourth round
Trade: Las Vegas sends No. 109 and No. 174 to Jacksonville Jaguars for No. 121 and No. 127.
Why: This isn’t a super deep class and the Raiders need to make up for some picks as high as possible, so two picks in the 120s is worth parting with No. 109. This deal gives them four picks in 23-pick range.
No. 121: Wisconsin edge/linebacker Nick Herbig:
Herbig can be an edge rusher and an outside linebacker in the NFL. He has a chance to develop into a solid NFL starter. The Raiders need help on defense and he can help.
No. 127: Illinois safety Sydney Brown:
The Raiders got plenty of looks at Brown while scouting his teammate, cornerback Devon Witherspoon. The Raiders could use youth here and this is a solid get at this spot.
Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Fifth round:
No. 141: Wake Forest defensive tackle Kobie Turner:
He’s a playmaker , but he could need time to develop into his body in the NFL.
No. 144: Iowa cornerback Riley Moss:
More defense and you can never have enough corners.
Sixth round
No. 204: Baylor guard Connor Galvin:
Stroud finally gets some offensive rookie companionship as Raiders added needed help on the line.
No. 214: Alabama tight end Cameron Latu:
This is good value here. Latu won’t be needed to play right away.
Seventh round:
No. 220: North Dakota State running back Hunter Luepke:
Josh McDaniels loves collecting running backs, so why not?
No. 231: Mississippi edge rusher Tavius Robinson
The Raiders end the draft with their another defensive player with a lottery-ticket pick.
Conclusion:
The Raiders ended up with 10 picks even (six on defense) with scoring a potential franchise-altering quarterback. Yes, Stroud is the only high-level prospect on this list. But the Raiders got some solid depth and the class is certainly not just “Stroud and nothing else.” Frankly, I’m surprised the class looks as good as it does.