B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders did the meat-and-potatoes work well: B-.
by Jareo ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 3 steals
· 3 reaches
When the story of this class is written, it opens with Mario Williams at the 221st overall pick, a reach of 81 spots that the board flatly disagrees with.
If one pick saves this weekend, it is Winston Jr.. The edge rusher spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
Cornerback was the priority and it is no longer a question, which is most of the job. The skill positions did well by the weekend.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 6 they get a home-run threat at receiver. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Tate Ratledge at slot 37 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They reached into another round for Dillon Gabriel, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
By-the-book stuff, Quinshon Judkins at No. 73 squarely in line with his ranking. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Steal is underselling it; Barrett Carter at the 104th overall pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A minor itch, scratched.
The board fumbled Kevin Winston Jr. all the way to the Round 5 slot, and they scooped it up. Not urgent, but hardly pointless.
Addison West at pick No. 181 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Will Lee III. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Seth McLaughlin at the 216th pick is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They reached a country mile for Mario Williams at Round 7, Pick 7, and the board is aghast. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.