After having six first-round picks over the last three years, the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t set to draft until the third round this year. There were some rumblings heading into the draft week that the Green Bay Packers could push for a trade for tight end Darren Waller that likely would’ve gotten the Raiders back into the first round. However, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and quarterback Derek Carr shut down those rumors before they got out of control.
Luckily, that’s not the only path the team would have to move up in the draft. It’s widely considered one of the weaker draft classes in recent years with the lack of top-tier quarterbacks or obvious future superstars. If a player the Raiders really like falls in the draft, it shouldn’t be too hard to move up. Michelle Burton of Bleacher Report detailed how the team can hit up the Packers to move up to the second round of the draft without giving up Waller:
Moving from Round 3 to Round 2 isn’t nearly as cost-prohibitive as moving into Round 1. If the Raiders want to get into the end of the second round, it would likely require that No. 86 pick and their 2023 third-round pick, per the trade value calculator. The Packers, who have their own Round 2 selection at No. 59 (the one they received from the Raiders was No. 53), could once again be a prime trade partner.
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Which Player Could Interest Raiders in 2nd Round?
The biggest needs the Raiders still have are on the offensive line and in the defensive secondary. It’s unlikely they’d move up unless it was to address one of those two position groups. Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic believe that Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard could be worth trading up for:
Kinnard was a three-year starter at right tackle, which is the Raiders’ biggest weakness along the offensive line, and was a consensus All-American last season. He has the ideal size and length to play on the outside while boasting the power and physicality of an interior offensive lineman. He can rely too heavily on his physical traits at times and needs to refine his fundamentals, but he could compete for starting reps in Year 1 and has the makeup of a dominant run-blocking right tackle. He probably won’t make it out of the second round, though, so he’s someone the Raiders would likely have to trade up to get.
Raiders Will Most Likely Stay Put
As noted earlier, this isn’t the most loaded draft class of the last decade. There aren’t a lot of clear-cut difference-makers available over the first two days. That said, there will certainly be a lot of players who end up being way better than expected.
This will be Dave Ziegler’s first draft as a general manager so it’s difficult to know how he’s planning to operate. It might be the best call to just let the draft come to him. There’s no sense in giving up future draft picks just to do it. The Raiders should only do it if there’s a player they need to have.
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