Raiders 2022 7-round NFL Mock Draft after the Russell Wilson trade

I wasn’t sure if a linebacker would be in the cards, but here we are. I know a lot of people push the “Linebacker is a top priority” envelope, but I’m just not so convinced it is entering the draft; Especially after the Kyle Van Noy release, which I’d be willing to bet results in him sporting a Raiders uniform this upcoming year.

Although Graham loves boasting about his ‘multi-scheme’ defensive approach, the bottom line is it’s hard to keep Nate Hobbs off the field. His rookie year was a perfect example of that, as he wound up playing 76% of all defensive snaps.

Considering this, we shouldn’t expect Vegas to run too many three-linebacker sets. When they do, we can assume Van Noy will take care of whatever Graham asks him to do, in the event Las Vegas does in fact bring Van Noy in. Even still, depth is never a bad thing, and there’s always the chance Van Noy lands elsewhere.

Sanborn is the perfect rotational linebacker, who can rotate in at any role and do his job. During his senior year, he was able to show off a variety of his skills. This resulted in a fumble recovery, 5 sacks, and 89 total tackles with a massive 16 being in the backfield.

While he offers a little bit of everything, he’s best suited against the run, which is another area Vegas struggled with particularly in the red zone. Sanborn can provide aid where the Raiders need it, and as such, a linebacker was ultimately picked up in this mock.