The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled in a big way in the NFL Draft in recent years, but did they finally get it right in 2023?
The Las Vegas Raiders went into the 2023 NFL Draft holding a top-10 pick for the first time since the organization drafted Clelin Ferrell at No. 4 overall back in 2019. That pick certainly did not work out, as Ferrell is no longer with the organization, but the hope was that the new regime, led by Dave Ziegler, could get it right this past April.
While it remains to be seen whether or not Tyree Wilson was the right pick at No. 7, and whether or not the team should have passed on Jalen Carter, a defensive tackle that filled a big need on this roster, the pick was a good one. Wilson was seen by many as a top-3 defender in this year's class, and the Raiders certainly needed help on that side of the ball.
Draft classes are usually graded early on by what a team does on Day 1, but it is the Day 2 and 3 picks that decide whether or not it is a class that is going to help the franchise move in the right direction. The truth is, Ziegler was aggressive during the 2023 NFL Draft, moving up to get the players he wanted, but in the end, were they the right players?
Raiders had a strong approach to the 2023 NFL Draft
Wilson in the first round was a great get, as he was projected as a top-5 pick in many expert's mock drafts. Going up on Day 2 to get Michael Mayer filled a big void at the tight end spot after the team traded away Darren Waller this offseason, and Byron Young should be an impact player in the middle of the Raiders defensive line in Year 1.
Overall, the additions of Christopher Smith II and Jakorian Bennett to the secondary should be huge, as both have starting potential as rookies. This is a draft class that will not only make an impact this season, which is not what you could say for most of the 2022 class, but could end up being cornerstone players for the franchise for years to come.
We won't know what the real grade for this class is until a few years from now, as we compare the selections brought in by Ziegler with the players who stand out. This class was balanced, had impact starters for Year 1, and provided the team with answers at some big questions on the roster, so going into their rookie seasons, you would think Ziegler did his job.