B-
Las Vegas Raiders
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Raiders and Giddens: B-.
by wattsraider ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
Somebody in No. 213 was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Raiders sat still while DJ Giddens, the No. 170 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
The Conner pick is the one the value grade keeps tripping over. They will regret leaving edge rusher for another day if the season turns on it.
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 weapon on the perimeter. Exactly the need they had to hit.
Good price on Omarion Hampton in pick No. 37, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A need, and now a little less of one.
Will Howard in No. 68 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. The roster fit checks out.
They took Denzel Burke at par in the Round 4 slot, which is nothing to complain about. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Cody Simon is a better player than the 143rd overall pick suggests; smart patience, rewarded. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Fair-plus on Jack Nelson, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The board fumbled DJ Giddens all the way to slot 213, and they scooped it up. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They reached into another round for Hayden Conner, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A real head-scratcher, Ty Hamilton in the 222nd overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. It patches a soft spot without any drama.