It is now officially mock draft season, fellas, with the Las Vegas Raiders having no postseason! You all are misguided in your desire for the Raiders to select a quarterback early. Everyone is eager to pull the trigger. There is no need to use their first or second round pick on a quarterback because Tom Brady is heading to Vegas. Also, let’s concentrate on the Raiders’ defense, which is in serious need of some reinforcements. The Raiders’ defense, according to ESPN, allows the fourth-most pass yards per game and the seventh-most overall yards per game. Let’s address the defensive needs in this two-round mock draft.
NFL Mock Draft – Raiders Pick: Round 1, Pick 7 – EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech
Notable Stats
- 6’6” and 275 poundsÂ
- Last two years at Texas Tech, 27.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks
Tyree Wilson is a great player to help the Raiders’ defense get back on track. But why, given that Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones are under contract? However, only Crosby has fulfilled his obligation, and the Raiders need more from their pass rush, which Wilson can provide. For a man of his size, Wilson has excellent athletic ability and was a physically dominant player for the Red Raiders. The Raiders could rely on Wilson and Crosby as a solid defensive pairing in the near future. Because Wilson is more of a physical player and Crosby is more of a finesse player, they complement each other nicely.
Tyree Wilson long arm, able to split the help and come up with the sack pic.twitter.com/eV7VdNsIIm
— Tyler Browning (@DiabeticTyler) January 2, 2023
Wilson makes good use of his physicality in the aforementioned footage. After long-arming the left tackle and bullying his way past two offensive linemen, the quarterback is sacked. The strength Wilson brings to the table is exemplified by his ability to do that to two offensive linemen who weigh more than 300 pounds. NFL quarterbacks would detest playing against Vegas if Wilson and Crosby were both rushing them from the edge.
NFL Mock Draft – Raiders Pick: Round 2, Pick 38 – LB Drew Sanders, Arkansas
Notable Stats
- 6’5” and 232 poundsÂ
- 2022 Stats: 103 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception, and five pass deflections
The Raiders need a complete revamp at linebacker, as has been clear the whole season. Denzel Perryman, their only competent linebacker, is not currently under contract. That might indicate that Vegas needs some assistance, and Drew Sanders would fill in and start right away. Sanders began his career at Alabama as an edge defender, but this year he transferred to Arkansas to play middle linebacker. And it worked because he developed into one of college football’s most effective linebackers.
Oh myâ€¼ï¸ Arkansas LB Drew Sanders with a Hit Stick on Missouri State RB pic.twitter.com/iJBjDuE3tF
— Jacket Boyz Media (@JacketBoyzTV) September 18, 2022
Sanders is great in open space thanks to his quickness and has a keen sense of the ball. He makes tackles all over the field by using his speed to pursue ball carriers. Sanders’ speed is only linear; thus, in order to adjust to the NFL, he will need to increase his hip mobility. He also has a lot of potential for blitzing as a former edge defender, which is a huge advantage. Sanders would be the ideal candidate to lead the Raiders’ necessary linebacker revamp.
Raiders 3-Round Mock Draft: QB Of The Future, Reloading The Defense
*Top Photo: Inside The Red Raiders/247 Sports