The Las Vegas Raiders held tight at No. 7 overall, and with the selection, the team added an elite edge rusher to team with Maxx Crosby.
The Las Vegas Raiders had plenty of holes to fill heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. Holding the No. 7 overall pick in the first round, their first Day 1 pick since 2019, general manager Dave Ziegler decided to add an elite talent to complement the best defensive player on their roster.
With the No. 7 pick, Las Vegas selected Texas Tech star Tyree Wilson, the No. 2 rated edge rusher in this year's draft class. Wilson will join the Silver and Black as a perfect complement to Maxx Crosby, one of the elite young edge rushers in the game, and a player just entering his prime.
For years, Las Vegas had struggled to get after the quarterback, but that should be a problem no more. Wilson and Crosby should be able to wreck havoc on the rest of the NFL, and more importantly, get pressure within the division on Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert.
Raiders loaded with picks on Day 2
With their No. 7 pick in the books, there is a chance Las Vegas could get back into the first round later on. They hold three Day 2 picks, including selection No. 38 overall, a pick they could couple with either pick No. 70 or 100 to make a second Day 1 pick.
The addition of Wilson was a strong, and smart move by Ziegler, as the team decided to pass on Kentucky signal-caller Will Levis. There had been some clamoring that the Silver and Black would go quarterback with such a high pick, but the top quarterbacks in the class flew off the board early on, with Bryce Young going No. 1, CJ Stroud at No. 2, and then Anthony Richardson at No. 4.
Levis would have been a reach at No. 7, so good for the Raiders for deciding to bolster a defense that has been one of the worst in football over the last ten seasons.