Las Vegas Raiders 2024 NFL Draft: Expect the Unexpected on Day 1

As we inch closer to the 2024 NFL Draft, there is one hope that is shared by most of the Las Vegas Raiders fan base. Since the Raiders franchise picked Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper in back-to-back years in the first round, Day 1 of the NFL Draft has been kind of a nightmare for Raider Nation.

Sure, there are the uncommon picks, like Kolton Miller and Josh Jacobs, two guys who went on to become stars in the Silver and Black. But for the most part, the last two regimes at the helm of this storied franchise have dropped the ball when it comes to the Raiders first round selection.

Case in point is the 2019 and 2020 NFL Drafts, where the Raiders held five, yes five, first-round picks, only to come away with Jacobs as a real contributor to the franchise.

Going into the 2024 NFL Draft, there is reason for hope, as the Raiders brought in a veteran general manager in Tom Telesco. As we read across numerous mock drafts, one thing is for sure, nobody really knows what Telesco has up his sleeves as he enters his first draft cycle at the controls of the Raiders.

For Raider Nation, you can expect the unexpected.

Raiders could move up or down on Day 1

The Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick in the first round, a position of strength going into Day 1. Las Vegas could move up or down on Day 1 depending on which experts you believe know what they are talking about, and either way, they should be able to bolster their roster in a big way.

The issue is, when it comes to the Raiders, you can never expect them to do the right thing in the first round. We have seen so many swings and misses across the last few years, and it has led to the team being a playoff contender very rarely.

In Telesco, Las Vegas has a veteran guy at the helm who knows what he is doing, and he has had some major success in the first round. Las Vegas has brought in talented players on Day 2 and 3 over the last few years, but if the Raiders want to take the next step forward, Telesco has to pass his first big test of his tenure as general manager.