Will the Las Vegas Raiders draft one of the attendees of the 2021 NFL Draft?
The NFL announced that 13 prospects will attend the 2021 NFL Draft in person, will any be snatched up by the Las Vegas Raiders pick at 17?
After taking a year off from a live spectacle thanks to COVID-19, the 2021 NFL Draft is now back to being a celebration of the league and the young men whose lives will never be the same. The draft will take place in Cleveland and while the majority of the top prospects will be attending virtually, 13 of them will be attending in person, but will the Las Vegas Raiders select one?
The list includes three of the top quarterbacks in Zach Wilson from BYU, Trey Lance from NDSU, and Mac Jones from Alabama, who are both being linked to teams in the top 10 of the draft. Other big-time players who are considered the best prospects at their respective positions will be there including Kyle Pitts, Ja’Marr Chase, and Caleb Farley.
Will the Raiders draft an attendee?
One name that the Raiders have been linked to is Penn State LB Micah Parsons who has been getting a ton of buzz after a tremendous pro day and is a player the team is reportedly in love with. Parsons may not last until the 17th pick so the Raiders may have to move up to pick him but if they choose not to, there are several other impact defensive players they can target including Christian Barmore or Gregory Rousseau. They may even surprise everyone and pick one of the cornerbacks in Caleb Farley or Patrick Surtain if they are available.
Of the top tackle prospects in the draft which include the likes of Teven Jenkins and Penei Sewell, only Rashawn Slater from Northwestern will be in attendance and he will likely be off the board in the top 10. Luckily for the Raiders, there is plenty of talent in this tackle group which is a position of need for the Silver and Black this offseason.
While there may be fewer players attending the draft in person than usual, it is nice to have a slight return to normalcy but still keep some of the charms of the 2020 draft that we all enjoyed. Teams will be able to meet in person in draft war rooms but we will still get a peek at the homes and families of the top prospects in the draft.
Regardless of whether the Raiders get a chance to pick one of the 13 players in the room in Cleveland or not, the goal of finding future all pros and Pro Bowlers is the same. Several of these young men are future Raiders and we hope they get to don the Silver and Black on draft day and for many years to come.