You know we are getting closer to the offseason when Mel Kiper Jr. releases his first mock of the year. That mock came out on Wednesday morning and there were several surprise selections in Round 1. But what did he have the Raiders doing with their top pick?
Kiper has the Raiders going offensive line with their first-round pick, which isn’t a surprise. But which one? That would be none other than Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski. Here is Kiper’s reasoning behind the pick at No. 7:
“The Raiders are a team to watch for a trade up for a quarterback, but they also might prefer a veteran — Tom Brady? — over a rookie to take over for Derek Carr in 2023. This is a veteran roster that could compete in the AFC West with the right guy under center.
That guy also needs help along the offensive line, though; only left tackle Kolton Miller’s starting spot should be guaranteed going forward. Skoronski, who started 33 games at left tackle for the Wildcats, could move to guard or right tackle at the next level. He allowed just one sack in 2022. He’d be an instant starter for a new-look offense.”
If the Raiders were to add someone like Tom Brady in the offseason, a pick like this would make a lot of sense. Brady needs a strong offensive line in front of him and Skoronski could fill one of multiple positions on the offensive line.
Look for this to be a common pick in mock drafts over the next few months as the Raiders try to build up the middle of their offensive line for their next franchise quarterback.
