Eight teams enter the 2022 NFL Draft without a first-round pick. The Las Vegas Raiders are one of them and they won’t pick until late on Day 2 at pick No. 86. However, that doesn’t mean the Raiders can’t or won’t improve their team over the weekend.
In a recent article by Ben Linsey of Pro Football Focus, he outlined the “best-case” scenario for the Raiders at No. 86. He believes if they could add competition to their offensive line at that spot, it would be a home-run selection for the Raiders.
Here is a short snippet of what he had to say about the Raiders going into the 2022 NFL Draft:
“The Raiders may not bring in someone who steps directly into a starting job as a rookie in 2022, but they need to at least add some competition for starting jobs both on the interior and at tackle.
Offensive line targets who could still be available at 86 include Washington State’s Abraham Lucas, Georgia’s Jamaree Salyer and Memphis’ Dylan Parham.”
The Raiders are still high on Brandon Parker as new general manager Dave Ziegler called him an “ascending player.” However, they need to find more competition at right tackle.
Lucas (Washington State) seems like a perfect fit as he’s taken over 2,000 pass-blocking snaps during his college career. He’s a bit unproven as a run-blocker, but his feet and athleticism are reminiscent of a young Kolton Miller.
If the Raiders can find a quality offensive lineman in Round 3, then they will have won the draft. Expect them to closely monitor the offensive tackle position on Day 2 of the NFL Draft.
