Barring any miracles that stretch beyond Sunday’s win, the Silver and Black will be heading toward the offseason with chances to improve a roster with some glaring weaknesses. Josh McDaniels has looked problematic coming out of the gate, but it looks as though his job is safe. That is, at least until the 2023 season. With a banged-up team and limited star power on both sides of the ball, the Las Vegas Raiders want to add some talent for the coaches to work with before making any rash decisions. If the new regime can draft better than the previous one, the Raiders might have a shot at building something without entering full-blown rebuild mode.
Raiders Mock Draft: Round One – Quarterback, C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
The Raiders don’t necessarily need to go quarterback in round one, with options such as Hendon Hooker and Anthony Richardson most likely being available later on. However, McDaniels and Co. might want to add a young potential game-breaker that they feel they can develop. With Derek Carr on a team-friendly contract moving into 2023, the Raiders are in a position to expand the ceiling at the quarterback position. Doing so would also add some money to fix the massive roster holes. There has been a stigma set around Ohio State quarterbacks and their success in the NFL. C.J. Stroud, however, looks about as pro-ready as any quarterback entering the 2023 draft.
Stroud has NFL-level arm talent and can make any throw on the field. After finishing fourth in Heisman voting in 2021, Stroud has been a force in 2022. Stroud has totaled 2,991 yards, 35 touchdowns, and only four interceptions through ten games played thus far. Stroud is athletic and can use his legs when needed, but he very rarely looks to run. He has NFL size at 6’3″ and 215 lbs. and possesses incredible fundamentals. The Raiders would be drafting a smart, accurate, and talented signal caller to succeed Carr.
Raiders Mock Draft: Round Two – Defensive Tackle, Bryan Bresee, Clemson
I hope you aren’t sick of Clemson draft selections just yet. The Raiders would need a little bit of luck for Bryan Bresee to fall out of round one. However, after coming off an ACL injury and seeing limited playing time due to other ailments, weirder things have happened. The Raiders have a huge hole to fill at defensive tackle. Although the club addressed it in the 2022 draft with Neil Farrell Jr. and Matthew Butler, the star power is limited. Bresee would be an instant starter on the interior defensive line.
At 6’5″ and 305 lbs., Bresee combines athleticism with power. He has NFL size but is able to jump gaps quickly while plugging holes with ease. The Clemson product has racked up just four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss over his last 11 games, but he is an asset on that defensive line. Because of his lethal skill set, the long Bear poses a problem for opposing offenses in both the pass and the run. If the Raiders can land him in the early second round, he could be a much-needed game changer alongside Maxx Crosby on defense.
*Top Photo: 247 Sports