We are just hours away from the Las Vegas Raiders being on the clock in Round 1. This will be the first time that Tom Telesco and Antonio Pierce get to make a pick for the franchise.
The expectation is that the Raiders will take an offensive lineman or a cornerback in Round 1, but there is a possibility that they draft a quarterback higher than expected.
Heading into the draft, the Raiders are viewed as a bottom-dweller in the AFC. According to Pro Football Focus, they are currently No. 27 in their annual NFL Power Rankings ahead of the draft. Here is a snippet of what they had to say about their biggest addition this offseason:
The Raiders signed Christian Wilkins to help their defensive line, which ranked 20th in PFF grade last season. The duo of Maxx Crosby and Wilkins is going to take this ascending Raiders defense to even greater heights in 2024.
The Raiders have a chance to change the narrative around this team during the draft. If they can find two or three quality starters, this is a team that can compete for a playoff spot right away. But as we know with Las Vegas, the draft has been a house of horrors for them over the last decade. It’ll be fascinating to see how it all plays out this weekend.
