B-
Las Vegas Raiders
A franchise passer in Ward headlines a B- weekend for the Raiders.
by Bucku ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 2 reaches
This is the pick they will still be bragging about in July: Damien Martinez, the No. 148 name on the board, stolen at slot 224.
Cam Ward gives the offense a face and a plan, and the grade leans heavily on whether he hits. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
They are betting Hamilton proves the room right and everyone else wrong. On the needs board they went 4 of 8, with offensive lineman the one that mattered most.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 6 they get a passer to set the clock by at fair value.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Jalon Walker in the Round 2 slot. Useful body for a position without much behind the starter.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 3 slot, where TreVeyon Henderson graded well above the range. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Donovan Jackson in pick 107 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They let Cody Simon come to them and pounced at Round 5, Pick 5. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Jordan Hancock at No. 182 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A slide stopped in pick No. 214, with Jack Kiser worth more than the price. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
A big swing on Ty Hamilton at the 218th overall pick, well ahead of any board in the building. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Steal is underselling it; Damien Martinez at the 224th pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. It fills a real need, too.