Grumzy'S MOCK DRAFT
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Noah

  • Grumzy DRAFTING FOR THE
    Raiders
Draft Selections
Fernando Mendoza Head Shot
PICK: 1 RND: 1 (LV)
Fernando Mendoza
QB Indiana
Denzel Boston Head Shot
PICK: 36 RND: 2 (LV)
Denzel Boston
WR Washington
Zachariah Branch Head Shot
PICK: 67 RND: 3 (LV)
Zachariah Branch
WR Georgia
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 102 RND: 4 (LV)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Genesis Smith Head Shot
PICK: 117 RND: 4 (LV)
Genesis Smith
S Arizona
Will Lee III Head Shot
PICK: 134 RND: 4 (LV)
Will Lee III
CB Texas A&M
Zane Durant Head Shot
PICK: 175 RND: 5 (LV)
Zane Durant
DT Penn State
Kaelon Black Head Shot
PICK: 185 RND: 6 (LV)
Kaelon Black
RB Indiana
Riley Nowakowski Head Shot
PICK: 208 RND: 6 (LV)
Riley Nowakowski
TE Indiana
J'Mari Taylor Head Shot
PICK: 219 RND: 7 (LV)
J'Mari Taylor
RB Virginia
Draft Grade — Raiders
Overall B-
ValueB- NeedB TradesB- FutureB-
The Raiders answered their biggest question with Mendoza. Grade: B-.

The search is over. The Raiders handed the keys to Fernando Mendoza, and the whole operation now runs on his development. They moved the roster forward and banked a B- for it.

Black has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. They covered a lot of ground and still skipped edge rusher, which is a strange place to end up. That Taylor pick is the receipt they will wave around later.

With edge rusher and offensive lineman unsolved, spending premium capital on safety is the choice that costs them.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick1 Rnd1 Fernando Mendoza
In the 1st pick they get their guy under center for the next decade at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
Pick36 Rnd2 Denzel Boston
Denzel Boston at Round 2, Pick 4 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Pick67 Rnd3 Zachariah Branch
They took Zachariah Branch at par in pick No. 67, which is nothing to complain about. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick102 Rnd4 Zakee Wheatley
A quiet steal in pick 102: Zakee Wheatley for less than the market said. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
Pick117 Rnd4 Genesis Smith
A curious use of No. 117. Edge rusher and offensive lineman needed the pick; a safety in Genesis Smith did not.
Pick134 Rnd4 Will Lee III
Will Lee III is a better player than slot 134 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Pick175 Rnd5 Zane Durant
They paid a round early for Zane Durant in the Round 5 slot, more than the board wanted. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Pick185 Rnd6 Kaelon Black
Kaelon Black in the 185th overall pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Pick208 Rnd6 Riley Nowakowski
A reach for Riley Nowakowski in slot 208; a little patience would have been rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
Pick219 Rnd7 J'Mari Taylor
Somehow J'Mari Taylor was still sitting there in No. 219, and they pounced on premier running back value. A need, and now a little less of one.