The Las Vegas Raiders were seemingly very enticed by what the National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes put on tape last season, as Pete Carroll decided to bring Chip Kelly back to the NFL as his new offensive coordinator. Kelly's unique passing game will try to give the Raiders the bite they so desperately need.
Kelly, as shown from his stints with the Eagles and 49ers, was willing to move heaven and earth to carve out roles for some of his old Oregon players. He might be able to do the same for some of his Ohio State pupils, especially with Vegas in possession of so many high picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Raiders may be interested in giving Kelly some of his old tools to work with as he gets acclimated to life in the pros once again. Any of these five could be perfect targets for a Raiders team severely lacking in offensive juice.
5 former Ohio State Buckeyes Raiders could reunite with Chip Kelly in NFL Draft
5. RB Quinshon Judkins
Of the two Buckeye running backs that will be picked within the first three rounds, Judkins might be the player Carroll ends up holding in higher regard. With a brutal running style akin to a bowling ball made out of Bowie knives, Judkins should be a tremendous between-the-tackles runner for a coach in Carroll who will try his hardest to install a quality ground game.
4. IOL Donovan Jackson
Jackson may need to move inside in the pros, and teammate Josh Simmons often overshadowed him, but he stands out as one of the best pass blockers in this class. Using strength that enables him to withstand even the most aggressive of bullrushes, Jackson has all the traits Carroll would want to see from a possible rookie starter.
3. RB TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson is, without question, a more explosive back than Judkins, showing off the tremendous speed and vision needed to hit the holes consistently. Henderson, who may have more receiving upside than Judkins due to that electric running style, could be a perfect second-round target for Kelly, Carroll, and new GM John Spytek as they rebuild the backfield.
2. WR Emeka Egbuka
If the Raiders are feeling aggressive enough, they could find themselves trading up to the later half of the first round and plucking Egbuka away. Often overlooked as WR2 behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith, Egbuka has a pro-ready combination of speed, route-running, and ball skills that will make him a quality intermediate target in the pros.
1. QB Will Howard
Howard makes too much sense for the QB-needy Raiders in the third or fourth round. While he doesn't have any standout traits, Howard is a bigger quarterback with a strong arm, mobility, and terrific accuracy on intermediate throws. Kelly has already shown he can win with Howard in the past.