B
Las Vegas Raiders
Smith should have been long gone. The Raiders pounced, and earned a B.
by [email protected] ·
2025 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 6 steals
· 1 reaches
You could see the war room lean forward. Brashard Smith at Round 6, Pick 4 is the sort of fall that does not happen, except it just did. They moved the roster forward and banked a B for it.
Reaching for Dellinger left real value on the table behind him. They punted on edge rusher, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They went 4 of 8 on their needs, which is most of what a draft is for.
A competent weekend that does not make headlines and does not need to.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 6th overall pick they get a lockdown presence outside. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
No edge and no loss on Jihaad Campbell in the 37th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
You do not let a safety like Xavier Watts reach the Round 3 slot and blink. They did not. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Quinshon Judkins in pick 108 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. The roster fit checks out.
Steal is underselling it; Anthony Belton at slot 143 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Brashard Smith at Round 6, Pick 4 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A top-tier tight end at a bargain, Oronde Gadsden II in pick No. 213, plain and simple. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A slide stopped in No. 215, with Jordan Hancock worth more than the price. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Garrett Dellinger this early at Round 7, Pick 6. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.