B
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders answered their biggest question with Ward. Grade: B.
by owent582 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 6 steals
· 0 reaches
The best pick of the weekend was also the simplest. The Raiders watched Damien Martinez slide 61 picks past his grade and did not hesitate. It nets out to a B, which feels about right.
Cam Ward is the bet, and the class will be judged on how it pays off. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. On the needs board they went 6 of 8, with cornerback the one that mattered most.
The offense got the lion's share of the attention.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th pick they get the arm they will build around at fair value.
No drama and no debate, Tyler Booker went about where he belonged in pick No. 37. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Good price on Jalen Royals in pick 68, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Alfred Collins in No. 73 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Devin Neal at the 107th pick is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Taking Tory Horton in Round 5, Pick 5 is close to grand larceny; a wide receiver that good had no business lasting this long. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A market-rate cornerback, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Cobee Bryant. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Upton Stout in the Round 6 slot should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A minor itch, scratched.
They will replay Damien Martinez at the 218th overall pick for years; that is how good the value is. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Karene Reid in slot 224 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It adds depth where they could use a little.