A
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders found their guy under center in Ward: A.
by Raider Rebuild ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 12 picks
· 9 steals
· 3 reaches
There is conviction, and then there is this. The Raiders took Barryn Sorrell a full 88 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. The sum of the weekend is a deserved A.
Everything downstream of Cam Ward depends on Cam Ward, and the building knows it. The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend.
That is a wide receiver worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly. They punted on interior defensive lineman, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
A strong weekend's work, and a rare one to find this little fault with.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 24 they get a franchise quarterback, outstanding value to boot.
Tyler Warren in No. 37 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
They robbed the room for Xavier Watts here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
Taking Marcus Mbow in the 73rd overall pick is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They will replay Quinshon Judkins at Round 3, Pick 33 for years; that is how good the value is. The roster fit checks out.
A big swing on Kaimon Rucker at slot 116, well ahead of any board in the building. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Steal is underselling it; Tory Horton at No. 144 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Circle this one: Mello Dotson at Round 5, Pick 13 is a fall that decides a draft. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They barely believed it either: Ollie Gordon II still on the board at the 182nd overall pick. It fills a real need, too.
A quiet steal in pick No. 214: Jack Kiser for less than the market said. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They reached a country mile for Donovan Smith at slot 218, and the board is aghast. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Barryn Sorrell at the 224th pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.