The Las Vegas Raiders come into the 2024 draft with massive needs at key positions. They failed to address some of them in free agency.
The Raiders signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in the offseason. They hope he can be the first dominant defensive tackle the team has had in decades. They also signed quarterback Gardner Minshew to a 2-year deal.
The Raiders released Jimmy Garoppolo, Hunter Renfrow, Brian Hoyer, and Jerry Tillery. None of the moves were surprising and freed up cap space to create flexibility.
Going into the 2024 draft, the team has some obvious holes. The Raiders pick 13th in the first round and could address those holes.
Las Vegas Raiders Top Need: Offensive Tackle
The top need for the Las Vegas Raiders team is at offensive tackle. The Raiders have Kolton Miller at left tackle. He’s a solid piece and under contract for a few more seasons. The problem is the team doesn’t have a solid right tackle. It’s been a hole for a long time.
This is a draft featuring great offensive tackle prospects. JC Latham from Alabama is a projected top draft pick that the Raiders could look at with the 13th pick. Taliese Fuaga from Oregon State is another. Both prospects play right tackle and could end up as Raiders.
Joe Alt is regarded as the top offensive tackle in the draft. It’s unlikely he’s still there at 13. Olumuyiwa Fashanu from Penn State is another well-regarded offensive tackle. Offensive tackle needs to be addressed by the Raiders in this draft after being forgotten this offseason.
Las Vegas Raiders Second Need: Quarterback
Another top need for the Las Vegas Raiders team is at quarterback. While the team signed Gardner Minshew, it’s an obvious weak point. The quarterback room is Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell. Aidan O’Connell showed some flashes last season as a rookie. Both players project more like high-quality backups than franchise quarterbacks.
With a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, having Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell as your only options is not a good plan. While the top 3 quarterbacks including Jayden Daniels will be gone, there are alternatives at 13 and beyond.
There are the obvious choices in Michael Pennix Jr and Bo Nix from Washington and Oregon. J.J. McCarthy from Michigan has seen his draft stock rise after winning the National Championship. These quarterbacks have been projected anywhere from the top-5 to the second round.
Spencer Rattler from South Carolina is an appealing choice. The former starter at Oklahoma had good numbers at South Carolina. A sleeper at the quarterback position is Michael Pratt out of Tulane. Pratt will be a day-three selection but could be a solid backup with some upside.
Las Vegas Raiders Third Need: Cornerback
This is a very pressing issue for the Raiders. After losing cornerback Amik Robertson in free agency to Detroit, the Las Vegas Raiders need to add another cornerback. Jack Jones has been a great addition to the secondary. With a good defense in 2023, the Raiders could take the next step to making their defense great in 2024.
The defensive line appears set with Christian Wilkins added to the front. Adding a cornerback to help out Jack Jones with shutting down Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice a season wouldn’t be a bad idea.
There are plenty of top-end cornerbacks for the Raiders to add at the 13th pick or beyond. Terron Arnold from Alabama is the top projected cornerback. His Alabama teammate Kool-Aid McKinistry is somebody the Raiders should consider. McKinstry is a projected late first-round pick. The Raiders could move back and select him in the late first round. He might fall further due to an injury in his foot.
Cooper DeJean is another option for the team as well. He has tremendous speed at the cornerback position. Nate Wiggins from Clemson had the fastest 40-yard dash amongst all cornerbacks at the NFL Combine. Everybody still associates speed with the Raiders thanks to Al Davis. Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo deserves consideration from the Raiders. He might be the best zone coverage cornerback in this draft class.
Final Need: Wide Receiver
The Las Vegas Raiders could look to add a wide receiver. Davante Adams is the leader of the group. Jakobi Meyers is a solid number 2 and Tre Tucker projects to be the slot receiver. They could potentially look to add to the receiver room. There’s currently no depth at the position after the release of Hunter Renfrow.
Las Vegas could look at drafting Brenden Rice from USC, the son of ex-Raider and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Johnny Wilson from Florida State is 6’6 and could add height to an already tall receiver room. Both players are projected to go near the third round.
A late draft steal for a team could be Jamari Thrash from Louisville. Thrash posted 61 catches in 2023 and deserves consideration in the later rounds. With only three solid receivers on the roster, expect the Las Vegas Raiders to draft a receiver in this class to add to the room.