B+
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders worked the phones like thieves and earned a B+.
by JayRaider ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
You can hear the double-takes from here. The Raiders took JT Daniels at Round 6, Pick 41, roughly 172 spots before his name belonged. A dependable weekend that grades out a B+.
The Mondon Jr. value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere. They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast.
The edge rusher hole is the one line item this class does not answer. The roster is better shaped than it was, with cornerback chief among the fixes.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th pick they get a true top target. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Tyler Booker at pick 37 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Andrew Mukuba at Round 3, Pick 4 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. A minor itch, scratched.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Maxwell Hairston. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A running back of that caliber at the 142nd overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Somehow Smael Mondon Jr. was still sitting there in No. 179, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Tim Smith at slot 212 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
JT Daniels at pick 216 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It fills a real need, too.
By-the-book stuff, Quincy Riley at Round 7, Pick 6 squarely in line with his ranking. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.