Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas trades down in Round 1
Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas trades down in Round 1
player. 811. . OG. Wolverines . Zak Zinter. 142
The offensive guard position was one of the primary weaknesses on the Raiders’ offense in 2023 as a rotating cast of players tried to hold the spots down. Unfortunately, none of them really stood out though rookie Dylan Parham was the best of the bunch.
With the 142nd pick, the Raiders snag a talented offensive lineman from the University of Michigan in Zack Zinter. The Massachusetts native has the requisite size for the position at 6-6 and 315 lbs and has been a starter for the Wolverines for two years. He has given up just two sacks in the last two seasons and was a key figure on an offensive line that has dominated the Big 10.
He has what scouts call phone booth strength and is powerful enough to hold his own in tight spaces but athletic enough to make blocks in space. He may have some issues against great edge rushers which means he likely can’t play tackle at the NFL level, but the Raiders need guards more than they do tackles anyway.
He is another guy that has some issues with technique but if he is coached up to play with better leverage, then he can be a solid contributor immediately.