It was no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders needed a leadership change this offseason after a devastating four-win campaign in 2024. Owner Mark Davis provided just that in early February as he hired a duo of Pete Carroll and John Spytek to revive the franchise.
Things got off to a rocky start for the new regime, however, when the team lost half of its defensive starters in the first week of free agency. Some in Raider Nation complained about the team's lack of activity on the open market, but Carroll and Spytek held firm as they refused to overpay players.
Good NFL teams build their rosters through the draft, and that is seemingly the plan for the Raiders' new decision-makers. With plenty of great options set to be available when Las Vegas is on the clock with the No. 6 pick, the Silver and Black truly cannot go wrong.
Latest NFL Draft odds leave Raiders with two obvious choices in first round
However, some scenarios are more likely to play out on draft night than others. FanDuel Sportsbook recently updated their odds for the NFL Draft, and they indicate that the Raiders have only two legitimate options in the first round.
Based on the betting odds, Las Vegas will either select Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty or Michigan cornerback Will Johnson with their first pick. Not only is Jeanty's most likely landing spot with the Raiders, but the odds also indicate that Las Vegas is most likely to pick a running back with the No. 6 pick.
Cornerback is the second-most likely position for the Raiders to select, and Johnson is widely considered the best in the class. These odds are fluid and will change in the weeks leading up to the draft, but the fact remains that Las Vegas has two holes in their roster that can be filled by great players in the first round.
Read more: Why Shedeur Sanders to Las Vegas is a pipe dream for Raiders
Jeanty ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, and despite finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting behind Colorado's Travis Hunter, many feel that he is one of the best overall prospects in the draft. It is a deep running back class, which gives some fans pause about selecting one so early, but all signs point to him being a generational talent.
Johnson missed the second half of the season in 2024, but over the last year and a half, he recorded seven passes defended and six interceptions, three of which he returned for a touchdown. He's a tall player who has great ball skills, but oftentimes he can be too aggressive. Still, he would be an instant starter on the Raiders' defense and has all the makings of a shutdown corner.
Odds cannot account for every scenario, as trading up or down the draft board would throw things for a loop. But if both of these players are available when the Raiders are on the clock with the No. 6 pick, the franchise truly cannot go wrong with either.