Raiders 3-round NFL Mock Draft: A new star QB lands in Las Vegas

Round 3

We round out our 2024 3-round Raiders mock draft by adding another playmaker to an already improving secondary. The Raiders saw great growth from Trevon Moehrig at safety this season, as the addition of Marcus Epps helped take his game to the next level, and there is no doubt that Jack Jones will be the team's CB1 in 2024.

What we did not see is growth from Jakorian Bennett, who came into his rookie season with high hopes, and Amik Robertson, while he had some big plays, was fairly inconsistent. I still love what Nate Hobbs brings to the table, but here at pick No. 73, the Raiders add a talented cornerback who could fight for significant playing time as a rookie.

D.J. James from Auburn would have been picked in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he returned to the Tigers for one more go-around in the SEC. That will help him tremendously as he makes the jump to the pros, and in the end, could be the CB2 alongside Jones, with Hobbs manning the slot cornerback position for the Raiders in 2024.

So there you have it. A three-player haul that allows the Raiders to bring in a young and a promising quarterback to battle it out with O'Connell for the starting job in 2024. Of course, the Raiders could decide to go with a veteran next year, or trade for a younger starter like Justin Fields, but adding Daniels in the first round allows them a four-year window at the position, and defensive guys like James and Sweat help bolster an improved unit.