The Raiders have been mentioned in much of the speculation leading up to this week’s draft. Vegas has frequently been connected to selecting a quarterback with their top pick (seventh overall), but the team’s priorities could be headed in a different direction. 
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The team’s short-term future under center is set with Jimmy Garoppolo in place as a free agent addition. The 31-year-old is only due guaranteed money in 2023 and ’24, however, so it would come as little surprise if the Raiders added his successor in this year’s draft. The No. 7 pick could provide them with the opportunity to land one of the class’ top passers, and general manager Dave Ziegler recently confirmed that Garoppolo’s presence won’t preclude them from spending a premium pick at the position.
However, the Raiders are expected to focus on adding a cornerback in the first round, per ESPN’s Todd McShay. This group of prospects offers a number of options at the position, but two are widely considered to be in a tier of their own. Illinois alum Devon Witherspoon and Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez are both likely to be in the top-10 mix, putting them squarely in the Raiders’ range. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated names the former as a player who has frequently been mentioned as a top candidate should the Raiders elect for a safe pick aimed at boosting their defense.
Vegas struggled against the pass in 2022 and recorded only six interceptions, meaning at least one impact addition in the draft (to supplement the relatively minor ones they have made so far in free agency) would come as no surprise. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe also lists CB as the position to watch for at No. 7, while NBC Sports’ Peter King has the Raiders taking Witherspoon in his mock draft.
While few around the league would be surprised if Vegas opted for Witherspoon or Gonzalez, they should have a few other high-end defensive options to choose from. One of those could be Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who is reportedly atop the Raiders’ draft board after an rocky pre-draft process. Carter is considered a top-10 lock, but he could find himself on the board at the seventh pick especially if a run on quarterbacks take place. That could leave a number of offensive linemen available as well, a position of need for Vegas heading into the draft. The likeliest outcome for their top pick, however, appears to be one which would give them a notable addition in the secondary.
So the raiders may pick a QB, a CB or a DT is what PFTR is saying? Sounds about right.
When you pick 7th overall, you probably could use help at any position.
“The team’s short-term future under center is set with Jimmy Garoppolo in place…”
Garoppolo has started every game in a football season exactly ONCE in his nine years in the NFL – thus I would say almost the exact opposite is true, i.e. “The team’s short-term future under center is UNCERTAIN with Jimmy Garoppolo in place…”
if theyre gonna do this then trade down, a team might want to move up and grab Jalen Carter
I would be happy if they choose any one of Carter, Gonzalez or Witherspoon. Draft a project QB to hold the clipboard for a season or two and bolster up the defense, which has been a massive problem for us for as long as I can remember
I wouldn’t hate any of those guys (perfect fits), but I think we’d be better off trading back with Philly (assuming Wilson is available to them) or TN or WA if one of the QBs is available.
IMVHO, there are a lot of guys #15 or later that will provide good value.
Raiders should just take the top-rated guy on their draft board…I mean what’s the worst that could happen! 😉
Taking the best available players in the draft is the smart and safe way to go but the Raiders dating back to the big Al days of running the team never listened to the draft gurus except when it’s someone who has 4.2 speed then they normally get the Raiders pick correct. Every year they project who they should take and then the whole nfl community is lol at the dumb move the Raiders made by over reaching for a player they could’ve got in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft or by trading down and getting some xtra picks for the wholes that need to be filled considering that a team picking in the top 10 has more than 1 or 2 players that they need to help them compete in the competitive afc west division.
Gruden absolutely ruined this team. Watching him high-five everyone in the draft room because they somehow managed to “steal” Leatherwood will stay with me forever.
They had other really bad picks, but the high-fiving, when you just someone steal your lunch, was embarrassing.
That said, we need to trade back, and then trade back again. We need too much to rely on one premium player.