Las Vegas Raiders: Handing out early grades for the 2023 NFL Draft class

Las Vegas Raiders: Handing out early grades for the 2023 NFL Draft class

Day Three: Jakorian Bennett, CB (Maryland), Aidan O'Connell, QB (Purdue), Christopher Smith II, S (Georgia), Amari Burney, LB (Florida), Nesta Jade Silvera, DT (Arizona State)

Before day three even started, the Raiders were in the headlines after they traded up in the fourth round. With defense still a huge need, Las Vegas took cornerback Jakorian Bennett from Maryland. The "other" corner across from first-rounder Deonte Banks, Bennett had lots of ball production in college.

With one of the weakest cornerback rooms in the league, Bennett will have an opportunity to contribute immediately in Las Vegas across from Nate Hobbs.

With the last pick of the fourth, the Raiders made perhaps their most intriguing pick with Purdue's Aidan O'Connell. One of the most prolific passers in the schools history, he posted 9,219 passing yards and 65 touchdowns across four seasons.

Known as a statue in the pocket, Josh McDaniels is sure to like his decisiveness and overall accuracy if he ever has to see playing time with the Raiders. With Jimmy Garoppolo's injury history, it's not unlikely that he sees the field at some point next season.

With the rest of their picks, the team added depth to the defense at safety, linebacker, and defensive tackle. However, all of these players should be expected to contribute in some fashion next season, even if it is just on special teams.

Overall, the Raiders added a lot of talented football players who appear to be good fits both on the field and in the locker room. Furthermore, Las Vegas is continuing to be built in the image of both Ziegler and McDaniel's. While they had some picks last season, this class will be the one that defines their tenure.

OVERALL DRAFT GRADE: B