The Raiders treated their own grade as gospel and everyone else's as noise, spending the 106th overall pick on Oluwafemi Oladejo a full 122 spots early. More right than wrong, and a B- to match.
The Higgins pick alone nudges the whole weekend up a notch. Shedeur Sanders gives the offense a face and a plan, and the grade leans heavily on whether he hits. The cornerback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
They left with edge rusher solved and the rest of the wish list mostly ticked off.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but cornerback.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.6
· Pick 6
· Shedeur Sanders
· QB
· rank 6
In Round 1, Pick 6 they get the arm they will build around. A real need, handled.
R2.5
· Pick 37
· Tyler Booker
· OG
· rank 38
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Tyler Booker. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R3.4
· Pick 68
· Omarion Hampton
· RB
· rank 30
You do not let a running back like Omarion Hampton reach No. 68 and blink. They did not. A need, and now a little less of one.
R3.9
· Pick 73
· Andrew Mukuba
· S
· rank 69
A tidy little value on Andrew Mukuba in the 73rd pick, a step better than break-even. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
R4.5
· Pick 106
· Oluwafemi Oladejo
· LB-EDGE
· rank 228
They reached a country mile for Oluwafemi Oladejo at pick No. 106, and the board is aghast. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
R5.5
· Pick 142
· Dont'e Thornton Jr.
· WR
· rank 184
Dont'e Thornton Jr. at pick 142 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
R6.3
· Pick 178
· Billy Bowman Jr.
· S
· rank 119
Somehow Billy Bowman Jr. was still sitting there in Round 6, Pick 3, and they pounced on premier safety value. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
R6.37
· Pick 212
· Cody Simon
· LB
· rank 136
Cody Simon in No. 212 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It adds depth where they could use a little.
R6.41
· Pick 216
· Hunter Wohler
· S
· rank 234
They talked themselves into Hunter Wohler at pick No. 216, and the board did not agree. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
R7.6
· Pick 222
· Jay Higgins
· LB
· rank 134
Jay Higgins at the 222nd overall pick is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.