D-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders left with their quarterback, and a D- to match.
by Texxx ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
It is the swing that defines the weekend: Jacob Dobbs in the 221st pick, a good 132 spots before the room expected him. Hard to defend, and the D- reflects that.
They handed away value on the phones that the picks cannot earn back. So much rides on Conner Weigman that the rest of the class almost grades on a curve behind him. A whole weekend of picks and wide receiver is somehow still a want.
The Hairston pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick 7 they get a long-term starter on the line at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In Round 1, Pick 19 they get a franchise quarterback, though the board says they badly overpaid.
They paid sticker price for Walter Nolen in the 39th pick, and that is fine. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Donovan Jackson at pick No. 71 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Jasheen Davis at No. 103 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Nick Emmanwori slipping to slot 135 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Value with a capital V on Maxwell Hairston in slot 173, a genuine coup. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They reached into another round for RJ Harvey, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The roster fit checks out.
They talked themselves into Jacob Dobbs at Round 7, Pick 29, and the board did not agree. A minor need, but a need all the same.