The Las Vegas Raiders hold four picks in the top-100 selections, and here, they fill some major voids on their roster with those four players.
The Las Vegas Raiders have gone into offseason needing to revamp their roster in a big way, this after releasing veteran quarterback Derek Carr. David Ziegler and Josh McDaniels took over a playoff team the year before during the 2022 NFL offseason, but struggled to build on that, finishing with six wins in their Raiders debut.
Now, they are tasked with not only replacing Carr, which they did with veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, but also filling big voids on each side of the ball. They focused early on by building salary cap space, moves that included the release of Carr, Maxx Crosby restructuring his deal, and the trade of Darren Waller, but have yet to hit a home run in free agency.
In fact, most of the deals they focused on were one-year contracts, as they look to find player who can succeed in the Silver and Black, and then possibly bring them back for the long-haul. Last year, Las Vegas did not hold a ton of draft capital, but all of that changes in 2023, as they hold four of the first 100 picks this April.
Here, we utilize the PFF Mock Draft simulator to take a shot at what the haul could look like within those first four selections.
Raiders 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas fills big needs with top-100 picks
In our latest mock draft, the Las Vegas Raiders strike gold at No. 7 overall, as University of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson falls to them. In most mocks, Richardson is long gone by No. 7, or the Raiders have to trade up to get him, but here, he is available, and slides right in as the future at the position for the Raiders franchise.
For the Raiders, this week brought another New England Patriots quarterback to the desert, as Brian Hoyer will join Jimmy Garoppolo atop the depth chart at the position this season. Hoyer and Garoppolo have excellent reputations as mentors for young quarterbacks in the NFL, making this a perfect landing spot for Richardson.
Richardson did not have a ton of experience at Florida, but when he was on the field, it was clear that he has the skill set to be a franchise guy at the next level. He has also impressed in a big way during the draft process, moving ahead of Will Levis as a top-3 signal-caller available this April.
Raiders 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas fills big needs with top-100 picks
While getting a player of Anthony Richardson's caliber in the first round would be a huge win for the Raiders, the attention then must be turned to the defense. The truth is, the Raiders defense has deficiencies on all three levels of the defense, and they fix one of those issues here at No. 38 overall with Jack Campbell.
Campbell is widely considered one of the best linebackers in this draft class, and some scouts actually have a first round grade on him. The Raiders did not do much to address the linebacker room this offseason outside of Robert Spillane, so going linebacker on Day 2 makes a lot of sense, and Campbell is an excellent prospect.
The Iowa standout is actually the betting favorite to be the first linebacker off the board this April, so him falling to No. 38 could be another home run for Las Vegas. Campbell is 6-foot-4, has tremendous instincts, and is an outstanding tackler, key attributes that this position group is lacking after losing Denzel Perryman.
Raiders 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas fills big needs with top-100 picks
Looking ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft, the biggest position of need for the Silver and Black may be the cornerback spot. For years, this has been the Achilles Heel for this Raiders defense, and at pick No. 70, they add a talented cornerback from the University of Michigan in DJ Turner.
There is no doubt that Turner has the athletic ability to be a strong cover cornerback at the NFL level, and based on what we saw at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, he has elite speed. In fact, Turner's 4.26 time in the 40-yard dash was a head turner for a lot of scouts, as he cemented himself as at least a Day 2 pick this April.
Las Vegas has brought in David Long Jr. and Duke Shelley in free agency, and they also brought back Brandon Facyson after a one-year stint in Indianapolis. Those are solid depth players at the position group, but based on his ability to cover, his aggressiveness, and speed, Turner is the kind of player who could be a CB1 when all is said and done, and we know what Michigan corners do in the Silver and Black.
Raiders 2023 NFL Mock Draft: Las Vegas fills big needs with top-100 picks
We go back to Gainseville for our next selection, as the Silver and Black address another major need by drafting Gervon Dexter Sr. from the University of Florida. The defensive tackle spot is one that must be addressed within the team's first four selections this April, and Dexter is the kind of player who could become an elite piece moving forward.
Dexter has to continue to build on his technique per the scouts, but he is a very versatile player, and someone who could play up and down the defensive line in Las Vegas. The Raiders have struggled to find answers at this position group for a few offseasons now, and Dexter is a player that has the size and athleticism to dominate at the next level.
So there you have it, a four-player haul that nets the Raiders not only a franchise quarterback, but three instant starters on a defense that has to be better if the team is going to make a run in a loaded AFC West next season. Las Vegas is hoping to build for long-term success, and with this group of picks, they start the process in a big way this April.