May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Khalil Mack (Buffalo) holds up a jersey after being selected as the number five overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015 NFL Draft is almost here and, while draft boards are now likely set for every team, teams are scrambling last minute to get in one last look at certain prospects, or to arrange trades to either add more picks in later rounds or move up in the early rounds.
Raider GM Reggie McKenzie is preparing now for his fourth draft with the Raiders, and his first draft with new head coach Jack Del Rio and his staff that includes Ken Norton, Jr. and Bill Musgrave. After a solid but quiet free agent signing period has filled the roster with capable veteran starters, McKenzie now has the luxury of using the Raiders 7 picks to add the most talented rookies he can find at every pick, with an opportunity to groom many of them into starters in the long term.
More from Las Vegas Raiders Draft
- Las Vegas Raiders: 2023 NFL Draft will make-or-break David Ziegler Era
- Raiders 2023 NFL Draft: Trading down for an elite DT on Day 1
- Raiders 2023 NFL Draft: Will David Ziegler trade his top-2 picks again?
- Raiders 2023 NFL Draft: Draft target from each 2022 top-25 program
- Las Vegas Raiders: 3 tight ends to target on Day 2 of 2023 NFL Draft
McKenzie has had quite a bit of success in the past two drafts. In the 2014 draft, his first four picks in a row were all starters for the majority of last year (Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, Gabe Jackson, Justin Ellis) and 7th round pick TJ Carrie played significant time as well, including starting 4 games at cornerback. Four 2013 draft picks started at least 8 or more games (DJ Hayden, Menelki Watson, Sio Moore & Mychal Rivera) and two others (Latavius Murray & Brice Butler) also contributed heavily. McKenzie’s draft picks tend to make the final 53-man roster, and they often play and start.
Looking to 2015, the Raiders have an opportunity to add at least 7 more talented young players to the roster for this year and beyond, and have been busy at the Combine, at Pro Days and even hosting some individual workouts to get to know who they want. Here are the players I project the Raiders selecting in the final four rounds of the draft, in reverse order, with the understanding that by this point, literally anything could have happened, and I could very well go 0-4.
Next: 2015 JBB Mock Draft: Round 7, Nick Marshall