B-
Las Vegas Raiders
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Raiders a B-.
by G ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
The Raiders put a flag in the ground for Eric Gregory, 75 picks before anyone else would have, and the value took the hit. Call it a sensible B-, earned the boring way.
They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it. They banked enough surplus on Wells Jr. to cover a lot of smaller sins.
Spending an early pick on specialist with edge rusher, cornerback and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but edge rusher.
Pick-by-Pick
In slot 6 they get a featured back at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
Fair-plus on Omarion Hampton, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A need, and now a little less of one.
Will Howard at the 68th pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
The needs board was loud and they turned it down, spending pick No. 108 on Andres Borregales with edge rusher, cornerback and other spots unsolved.
A reach for James Burnip in No. 143; a little patience would have been rewarded. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
JJ Pegues at the 180th overall pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Eric Gregory this early at the Round 6 slot. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Somehow Antwane Wells Jr. was still sitting there in the 215th pick, and they pounced on premier wide receiver value. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
The board had Kobe Hudson higher than slot 222, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.