The Las Vegas Raiders have one more hole to fill along their offensive line this offseason, and draft prospect Peter Skoronski could be the perfect fit.
The Las Vegas Raiders added Dylan Parham with their first draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, though they did not have any draft capital until Day 2. Parham was the No. 90 overall pick last April, landing with the Raiders in the third round, and he proved during his rookie campaign that he is going to be a long-term starter at offensive guard.
Going into the offseason, Las Vegas had more holes to fill on their offensive line, as Jermaine Eluemunor hit free agency, and questions were out about whether or not they would cut bait with Andre James and get some much-needed cap space. In the end, Eluemunor returned in free agency, and James was kept, leaving only one of the offensive guard spots left to fill the rest of the offseason.
Sure, Alex Bars was a nice depth piece to bring back, but looking ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft, Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski could be a perfect fit in the Silver and Black. Skoronski does not have the ideal size to play tackle at the next level, but in the interior, he could be special.
One draft expert, Bradley Locker from Behind the Steel Curtain stated that while Skoronski could play tackle at the next level, he could be an elite player playing in the interior of the offensive line. Adding Skoronski to a line that includes Eluemunor, James, Kolton Miller and Parham would give the Silver and Black their best group in quite some time.
Raiders may decide to go defense early and often in the 2023 NFL Draft
Las Vegas does hold five picks in the first 109 selections, this after trading away Darren Waller to the New York Giants. With their offense pretty stacked, especially if they bring back Josh Jacobs on a long-term deal, defense could be the main priority for the franchise going into the 2023 NFL Draft.
Cornerback, linebacker, defensive tackle, and even safety are priority positions, and we recently dove into two elite talents at corner they could target at pick No. 7 overall. This is a year that should make or break the tenure of David Ziegler as general manager, as he did not hold a first or second-round pick last year, and basically only brought in one productive player in Parham.
If the Raiders are to pick Skoronski on Day 1, it would likely be in a trade-back situation, as he is not a top-10 talent at this point. If they can trade down, collect more picks, and still get a Day 1 starter at offensive guard in the first round, I would say that is a great start for one of the biggest drafts in recent franchise memory.