We are just over two weeks away from the 2023 NFL Draft and it’s starting to become clearer who the Raiders might target in the first two rounds. They need to add impact players on both sides of the ball, but cornerback and offensive line seem to be their targets.
So is there a way in which the Raiders can find a starter at each position in the top two rounds? The board would have to fall perfectly for them, but it can happen.
In Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft, he has the Raiders coming out of the first two rounds with two of the top players at their respective positions. In Round 1, they grabbed CB Devon Witherspoon, a physical cornerback from Illinois. Here is what Kiper had to say about that fit:
While the Raiders likely would love to get a shot at either Anderson or Carter, they’ll have to settle in this scenario for my top-ranked player at another position of need. Witherspoon is a physical defender with shutdown ability. He would be a Day 1 starter in Las Vegas, which ranked last in the league in takeaways last season (13). This is also a spot to watch for the first offensive tackle off the board.
Not only did the Raiders get the top cornerback in the class in Kiper’s mock, but they also got the best interior offensive lineman; Florida OG O’Cyrus Torrence. Here is what Kiper had to say about that selection:
Plug-and-play guards aren’t always valued in Round 1, but that’s exactly what Torrence is. He’s going to plow defenders in the run game, and he’s going to pancake them in pass sets. He allowed just one sack in 2022, his first season at Florida after transferring from Louisiana, where he started at both left and right guard over three seasons. Torrence would be an easy upgrade for the Raiders’ interior O-line.
Both Witherspoon and Torrence would be Day 1 starters for the Raiders and would help them at big positions of need. While this means they didn’t grab a franchise quarterback with one of their top picks, the team is a lot better going into the 2023 season. This feels like one of the better-case scenarios for the Raiders if the draft were to play out this way.
