C+
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders did enough to get by: C+.
by Cuda2183 ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 5 reaches
Somewhere a scout is still blinking. The Raiders spent No. 144 on Dont'e Thornton Jr., a name the board had a full 35 spots lower. It lands right in the middle: a C+, no more, no less.
The Raiders indulged a want in Higgins while a need in edge rusher and tight end stayed open. A whole weekend of picks and edge rusher is somehow still a want.
Landing Collins that late papers over a lot of smaller sins.
In the end, a coin-flip class: fine today, with a wide range of outcomes ahead.
Pick-by-Pick
Emeka Egbuka at slot 37 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They paid up for Zy Alexander at the 44th overall pick when waiting would have done the job. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A big swing on Donovan Jackson at the 68th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Quinshon Judkins in the Round 3 slot is fair value, right on his grade. The roster fit checks out.
Alfred Collins in pick 73 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Fair-plus on Denzel Burke, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Smael Mondon Jr. at slot 98 is a conviction pick that outran the value. A minor itch, scratched.
No edge and no loss on Will Howard in pick No. 107; it is a wash and a sensible one. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending the 115th overall pick on Jay Higgins with edge rusher and tight end unsolved.
Dont'e Thornton Jr. at the Round 5 slot is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.