Raiders 2022 7-round NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas fixes OT problem early
By Brad Weiss
During the 2021 offseason, the Raiders made it a point to revamp the defensive line, signing Yannick Ngakoue to team with Maxx Crosby coming off the edge. They also brought in a bunch of new faces at defensive tackle, though going into this offseason, most of the talent in the interior is hitting free agency once again.
That means the Raiders will have to make big decisions on whether or not to bring back Johnathan Hankins, Quinton Jefferson, and Solomon Thomas to name a few, as a strong defensive tackle is needed in Patrick Graham’s base 3-4 defense. If they decide to fill that void via the 2022 NFL Draft, Travis Jones from UConn is a player I could see going early on Day 2.
Jones is a player who can not only get the push needed to get into the quarterback’s face, but his specialty is against the run, where he is an absolute run-stuffer. Las Vegas may not need a ton of bodies at this position going into next season, but they need a starter, and Jones has the talent, strength, and size to start right away.