The Las Vegas Raiders certainly made some noise this past NFL Draft. Dave Ziegler and Co. went into the festivities with a bevy of needs, among them addressing the pass rush and, of course, the void left by Darren Waller’s departure. While the latter could be seen as self-inflicted, it doesn’t remove the “need” from the Raiders’ draft board. Luckily, not only did this year’s class offer a talented tight end group, but plenty of defensive standouts as well. The Raiders had their pick of the litter in both the first and second rounds. After it was said and done, Tyree Wilson and Michael Mayer were the selections.
While we patiently await training camp, expectations are already mounting. That’s not a shocker, so we asked our readers what their projections were for 2023. In particular, we’re looking at Wilson and Mayer, the Raiders’ first two 2023 draft picks, respectively.
Should Raiders fans temper their expectations with Tyree Wilson?
With Jalen Carter still on the board, Ziegler opted to get himself the much-heralded pass rusher in Wilson. After having an eventful NFL Scouting Combine, a lot of that having to do with his measurables, Wilson brings tons of potential with him. Many are drawing comparisons to another once-vaunted player; you might remember his name, Aldon Smith. Needless to say, Raiders fans want to see Wilson nail opposing quarterbacks from the outset.
Speaking of which, we asked fans how many sacks the first-round pick would total.
New #Raiders rookie Tyree Wilson will get ____ sacks in 2023. pic.twitter.com/iUvHOrHY5w
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) May 1, 2023
How many sacks for Wilson this year? Let us know in the comments down below.
Will Michael Mayer make an immediate impact as a rookie tight end?
The former Notre Dame standout comes in with big shoes to fill. While the Raiders did acquire Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard this offseason, neither are long-term viable options. Mayer, for his part, has drawn a very notable comparison to future Pro Football Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.
The Raiders’ red zone woes have been well documented over the last few years. While former quarterback Derek Carr received much of the blame, you have to figure that the Raiders are due for an improvement. That’s especially true when looking at the arsenal of weapons that Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels have assembled. Among those additions is Mayer. We asked our readers point blank: how many touchdowns for the future NFL star?
New #Raiders TE Michael Mayer caught 9 touchdowns last season for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Assuming he helps fix the red zone woes for HC Josh McDaniels, Mayer ends up with ____ TDs as a rookie. pic.twitter.com/TlSxdAX7y2
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) May 6, 2023
*Top Photo: David Eulitt/Getty Images
