B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.
by Starchychaff ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 1 steals
· 2 reaches
The rest of the league had time to spare on Joshua Gray; the Raiders did not wait, grabbing him 25 spots ahead at pick 103. Good, not great, and the B- says as much.
If this class has a fault line, it runs straight through edge rusher. They banked enough surplus on McCord to cover a lot of smaller sins.
On the needs board they went 5 of 8, with cornerback the one that mattered most. They reloaded the coverage unit in bulk.
Good work on the whole, with edge rusher the one box left unchecked.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 7 they get an enforcer at safety. More want than need.
By-the-book stuff, Ollie Gordon II at the 39th pick squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
No edge and no loss on Jay Higgins in pick No. 71; it is a wash and a sensible one. A minor itch, scratched.
Joshua Gray in slot 103 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Jermari Harris in the 135th overall pick is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Good price on Xzavier Henderson in No. 167, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A tidy bit of business in pick No. 199, where Kyle McCord graded well above the range. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.