Mock drafts for the Las Vegas Raiders have never been easy, because they always seem to surprise people. Clelin Ferrell, Damon Arnette, and Alex Leatherwood were all surprises for not-so-good reasons, and Brock Bowers was a wonderful surprise. This year, however, there are no questions about who the Raiders will pick in the first round. They are set up to land the next face of their franchise with the first overall pick, and it has led to the most positive noise Las Vegas has had in a while.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday should all be full of excitement for the Raiders, as they are set to add the next group of Raiders to the franchise. There’s no telling how things will play out, but this feels like a realistic mock draft that hits the needs of Las Vegas without reaching as they have in the past.
At this point in the process, not much has to be said about Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders are in a position to finally land their franchise quarterback, and that is what they are going to do. The Indiana quarterback has elite size for the position at 6’5, 236 pounds, but more importantly, he has all of the tools a team could want. He is accurate at all levels of the field, can make every throw, and is extremely intelligent.
This past year at Indiana, Mendoza put up career-high numbers across the board. He threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions, while completing 72% of his passes. On the ground, he ran for 276 yards and 7 touchdowns. To put that season into perspective, Mendoza combined for just 18 total touchdowns between the air and ground the previous season. He was better than anyone could have imagined this past season, and it resulted in a Heisman Trophy and, more importantly, a National Championship.
Barring some stunning change of events, Mendoza is all but certain to be Las Vegas’ signal caller for the foreseeable future. It should be a great day for everyone involved, and hopefully the start of a new era for the Raiders.
Las Vegas filled a lot of holes in free agency, but one position they failed to address was defensive tackle. They currently have a room full of solid players, but they lack a true difference-maker. Adding Christen Miller would give them one.
Miller isn’t a disruptive pass rusher by any means, but he is a force in the run game, and the Raiders need more help there. At 6’4, 321 lbs, the Georgia Bulldog is a powerful presence in the middle of the defensive line, as he can control blocks and get into the backfield.
Miller would be a perfect anchor in the middle of the Las Vegas defense, and he would fill a major hole for the Raiders.
Las Vegas has a lot of speed and finesse in the wide receiver room right now, but they are lacking a true outside receiver. Adding Malachi Fields would give them that true “X” receiver that they absolutely need.
Fields is 6’5, 218 lbs, and he plays to his size. He has a terrific catch radius and strong hands, and he is a relatively smooth route runner despite his size. This past year at Notre Dame, he put up 36 receptions for 630 yards and five touchdowns. His numbers were down compared to his previous two seasons at Virginia, but that is because he wasn’t always needed. When his number was called, Fields always seemed to deliver.
Fields is a great fit for the Raiders, and he and Mendoza should develop chemistry right away in the red zone.
Las Vegas doesn’t need help on the offensive line as much as some may think, but they are still likely to address it at some point in the draft. With Markel Bell, the Raiders get a massive human being, who at 6’9, 346 lbs, presents some major problems for opposing rushers. His size can cause him some problems as well, particularly in the open field when run blocking, but the upside here is to tantalzing to ignore.
Kolton Miller is still playing at a high level for the Raiders, but eventually, the team will need a replacement. Between DJ Glaze, Charles Grant, and Bell, Las Vegas will have multiple options to develop behind the scenes as they prepare for the long-term future of the tackle position.
Day three is the perfect time to take a swing at a developmental player with traits, and that is what VJ Payne is. He has elite size at 6’3, 206 lbs, but he still has a long way to go as an all-around player. He profiles as a box safety due to his size, but he needs to get better as a tackler in the run game if he wants to play donwhill. On the other hand, he has shown the ability to be sticky in man coverage, and that could prompt some interesting conversations at the next level.
Regardless, Payne has too much upside for the Raiders to pass on him in the fourth round, especially when they need help throughout the entire secondary.
Las Vegas still needs a backup running back to pair with Ashton Jeanty, and Kaytron “Fatman” Allen is the perfect fit. He is a downhill runner whose calling card is picking up chunk yardage. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak has been vocal about wanting a two-man show in the backfield, and this would be a perfect pairing. In four years working in a split backfield at Penn St., Allen had 4,180 yards and 39 touchdowns, on 769 carries. He never offered much as a receiver, but that won’t be his role at the next level.
Allen would be the thunder to Jeanty’s lightning, just like he was at Penn St. when he split the backfield with Nicholas Singleton.
Jadon Canady may be listed as a safety or a corner, depending on the platform, but he profiles best as a slot in the NFL, and Las Vegas needs to find a long-term answer there. He is sticky in coverage, and he plays with a ton of energy that helps him get close to space very quickly. The biggest downside with Canady is his size. With shorter arms, he isn’t exactly a ball hawk, but he does fight through the ball at the catch point.
Finding a long-term answer at nickel back should be a priority for the Raiders in the draft, and Canady should be a top option for them.
The Raiders should double up on receivers in the draft, and Cyrus Allen is exactly their type. He is a smaller receiver, but he is a strong route runner at all levels of the field. He is good with the ball in his hands in the open field, and he is not afraid to play through contact at the catch point. Just last year, Allen had 13 touchdowns on just 51 catches. The biggest knock on Allen, as already mentioned, is his size, but from a pure skill standpoint, he has everything a team could want.
It feels likely that Las Vegas will add another Indiana player sometime during the draft, and Riley Nowakowski feels like a seamless fit. He isn’t a traditional tight end as he is just 6’2, 250 pounds, but he can play a role as a fullback/blocking tight end, and that is a crucial piece of this new Raiders offense.
Deciding not to bring back Daniel Carlson this offseason, Las Vegas is in the market for a new kicker. They signed Matt Gay to a one-year deal, but they will look to add competition. Trey Smack never had a field goal percentage below 81% during his three years as the Gators’ kicker, and he consistently drilled kicks from 50 yards out.
The NFL Draft is finally here. No more predictions, no more rumors, players will finally have landing spots. The Raiders currently have 10 picks, giving them 10 chances to add impactful players to the roster for the foreseeable future. Mendoza is all but picked already, but the remaining nine picks are totally unknown. So sit back and enjoy the next three days, because they only come around once a year.
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