Raiders: 2022 rookie class likely to wait their turn in Year 1
By Brad Weiss
The Las Vegas Raiders did not pick until the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and this year’s class likely won’t make a major impact in Year 1.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, the stage is set for them to take the next step forward in 2022, this after winning ten regular-season games in 2021, and making the playoffs. Sure, they were bounced in the Wild Card round, but it was a successful season for the team on the field, especially with so many issues off of it.
Now, the attention turns to training camp, which will kick off later this month from Henderson, Nevada. Las Vegas has high expectations for this season and is coming off a solid offseason, one that saw them land elite talent on both sides of the ball.
The Raiders also brought in a solid haul during the 2022 NFL Draft, though not picking until the third round due to the Davante Adams trade. What can we expect from the 2022 rookie class, possibly not much in Year 1?
Raiders likely to go with veteran talent in 2022
The first pick off the board was Dylan Parham an offensive lineman from Memphis, and he has the chance to make an impact this summer. The Raiders obviously have depth issues along the offensive line and could utilize some of their cap space to bolster it, but Parham is going to get a long look.
Zamir White will figure into the mix at running back, but his impact should be limited due to all of the veteran talent in front of him. Defensive tackles Neil Farrell Jr. and Matthew Butler play a position of need, but the team went out and brought in a lot of veteran talent to man the middle of Patrick Graham’s 3-4 defense.
White is an interesting player to keep an eye on, as Josh McDaniels likes to utilize multiple running backs, and he brings something different to the table. Overall, the impact may be minimal on the field in 2022, but this is a solid group that is going to be a part of the nucleus for years to come.