B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders answered their biggest question with McCarthy. Grade: B-.
by RichERich ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 1 steals
· 1 reaches
Start where it matters. The Raiders took J.J. McCarthy to run the offense for the next decade, and every other decision this weekend bends around that one.
Means has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. The tight end spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. That Smith pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the tight end spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 25th pick they get the face of the franchise. A real need, handled.
Kamari Lassiter in Round 2, Pick 12 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A straight-up fair deal on Bralen Trice at the 58th overall pick, value and slot in agreement. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Bucky Irving at pick No. 87 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A need, and now a little less of one.
Matt Goncalves at No. 112 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A market-rate offensive lineman, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Trevor Keegan. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Tykee Smith at slot 174 is the proof. A minor need, but a need all the same.
They took Jaylan Ford at par in pick 208, which is nothing to complain about. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Bub Means in pick 223 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.