The Las Vegas Raiders have had their share of draft woes over the years.
Of course, this trend began with guys like JaMarcus Russell and Rolando McClain, and continued with players like Clelin Ferrell, Jonathan Abram, and Damon Arnette.
In 2024, however, Tom Telesco put together what many thought was a great draft class, highlighted, of course, by tight end Brock Bowers.
Yet, Telesco was relieved of his duties as the Raiders' GM after just one season, and looking back on his lone draft class in its entirety, the group did not perform very well overall.
Round 1: Brock Bowers - A+
This was a home run pick by Telesco. Many thought that Bowers was one of the best overall players in the class, but his positional value led him to fall right into the Raiders' lap at No. 13.
Bowers had a rookie season of epic proportions, setting numerous franchise and NFL rookie records. He is a finalist for AP Offensive Rookie of the year, and should be one of, if not the best tight end in the league for the next decade.
Round 2: Jackson Powers-Johnson - A
Powers-Johnson was another excellent pick by Telesco. He fell in the draft a bit due to injury concerns, but after he recovered from a few early-season hiccups, he showed why he was a first-round talent.
The versatile lineman played multiple positions throughout the year and threw defenders around no matter where he lined up. PFF ranked him as an above-average guard, but that ranking does not indicate how much better he got this season with each game.
He did earn his way onto the PFWA All-Rookie team, which is an incredible honor. Powers-Johnson has tons of upside to tap into as well; he should be a force on the Raiders' line for years to come.
Round 3: D.J. Glaze - B+
Glaze was thought to be more of a depth piece or swing tackle when he was drafted, but early on in training camp, it was clear that he would compete with Thayer Munford Jr. for the starting right tackle job.
He ended up starting 14 games for Las Vegas, and although he had eight penalties during his rookie campaign, he was a key cog on the team's offensive line. Glaze was considered to be in the top third of all offensive tackles according to PFF, which is tremendous for a third-rounder.
Round 4: Decamerion Richardson - D
While he was only a fourth-round pick, Richardson did not have a stellar rookie season by any means. He did start the year with an injury, which surely set him back, but he was not slated to compete for much playing time anyway.
Then, when the secondary was decimated with injuries, Richardson was called upon but did not answer the bell. He was ranked 201st out of 223 qualifying cornerbacks on PFF, and allowed a passer rating of 119.7 when targeted.
Richardson was tasked with covering some good receivers, but he got lit up by the Chargers' Quentin Johnston in the season finale. He is still young with lots of physical tools, but he needs to have a productive offseason if he wants to contribute in any meaningful way next year.
Round 5: Tommy Eichenberg - F
Eichenberg failed to get any real playing time in a linebacker room that lacked a ton of depth. He played only 80 defensive snaps the entire season, and was ranked 186th out of 189 qualifying linebackers according to PFF.
To make matters worse, he relinquished a passer rating of 150.4 when targeted, and collected only 13 tackles in 313 special teams snaps. It was not an effective year for Eichenberg, but he did get a lot of experience on special teams. Hopefully, with a good offseason and a new staff, he can take a jump in year two.
Round 6: Dylan Laube - D-
It may be a bit unfair to give Laube such a low grade considering he only played two offensive snaps the entire season, but he did fumble on his only carry of the year. While the running back room was a bit crowded this season, the unit had no real success, and Laube was jumped over by Sincere McCormick and Chris Collier for reps.
To make matters worse, he was supposed to be a special teams ace, and outside of one big return, he made no real waves in this facet of the game either. Perhaps with a bigger workload or more opportunity, he could improve in year two with the new staff.
Round 7: Trey Taylor - F
Taylor was a seventh-round pick, so not much was expected of him. He did begin the year with an injury as well, but was available for the majority of the season still.
He played in nine games, but did not record a single defensive snap. However, he played 155 snaps on special teams but failed to record a single statistic. This complete lack of production on special teams is concerning for a young player, but perhaps he can rebound in year two if he can stay healthy.
Round 7: M.J. Devonshire - N/A
Devonshire was waived when the team released their initial 53-man roster, but returned to the Raiders' practice squad.
While he remains in the building on a Reserve/Future contract, he did not play in an NFL game this season.