The 2023 regular season started with a bang, but that Week 1 optimism has quickly deteriorated into disappointment for Raider Nation. The Bills beat Vegas to a pulp in the second week before the team dropped one-score games to the Steelers and Chargers. In doing so, the Raiders currently sit at No. 3 overall in the mock draft order (via Tankathon).
If the Silver and Black wind up in the top three of next year’s NFL Draft order, there’s a real possibility that both Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler will see the door. However, as of this writing, neither guy is in imminent danger of losing their job. So, we will work under the assumption that both return to Sin City in 2024.
Raiders 4-Round Mock Draft: Several Starters Arrive To Vegas, Including A New QB1
Based on what the pairing has done in two offseasons at the helm, what can the fan base expect with such a premium selection? Will the front office stick by Jimmy Garoppolo for another season? Will they turn the keys over to Aidan O’Connell and use the draft to stack up talent elsewhere on the roster? Or will they rip the band-aid off and start over anew at quarterback?
In the first mock draft of the regular season, we explore the latter option. Without further ado, the Chicago Bears open the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. with the top two picks. Now, Las Vegas… you are on the clock!
Round 1, No. 3 Overall: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
An overwhelming amount of mock drafts have UNC’s Drake Maye entrenched as the first quarterback off the board behind Caleb Williams. The gap between Maye and the rest of the pack is closer than any care to admit. But in this mock draft, the Tar Heel signal-caller retains that status.
Maye stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 230 pounds, giving him an ideal frame for an NFL quarterback. He boasts plenty of arm strength, including a nearly impeccable deep-ball ability. Maye’s 94.4 PFF grade on passes 20+ yards downfield highlights that fact.
As for his downsides, the 21-year-old prospect can be careless with the football. He attempts passes that have a frustratingly low chance of being completed. Furthermore, a lot of the North Carolina offense is a one-read type of system. Thus, questions as a processor do exist for Maye.
Still, the Raiders would likely turn in the draft card at a record pace if Drake Maye is available when Vegas comes to the podium. He gives Raider Nation the highest-upside quarterback in years and serves as a more appropriate successor to Derek Carr.
Round 2, No. 42 Overall: Cooper Beebe, OL, Kansas State
The interior of the offensive line gets bullied each and every week. Dylan Parham, Andre James, and Greg Van Roten are consistently moved off their spot in the run game and walked backward into the pocket in the passing game.
Enter Cooper Beebe. The Kansas State mauler is a force in the trenches. Beebe possesses strong hands, a red-hot motor, and a reliable anchor when settling in against bigger assignments. He could clean up his footwork in pass protection, but the good outweighs the bad.
The Raiders need any help they can get in the run game, especially from the interior. Beebe can play either guard position and would even be a serviceable center if push came to shove. He is a worthwhile selection in Round 2 of this Raiders mock draft.
Round 3, No. 73 Overall: T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State
The cornerback room lacks a long-term partner-in-crime on the boundary for Jakorian Bennett. Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa is the polar opposite body type of Bennett and would mesh well with the Silver and Black defense. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Tampa excels in press-man coverage and shows developing instincts in zone coverage.
The Cyclone defender is one of the best tacklers at the position, evidenced by a steady 74.7 PFF tackling grade in 2023. He’s also posting a sparkling 81.0 rating in coverage, thanks to an impressive 47.8 completion percentage on passes sent his way.
Tampa would have a chance at starting immediately as a rookie, depending on what general manager Dave Ziegler does in the offseason. He isn’t a finished product yet, but few are in the third round of the NFL Draft. Draft and develop Tampa with Bennett and Hobbs; good things will come.
Round 4, No. 108 Overall: Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
A Raiders mock draft without any additions on the defensive line is not an accurate mock draft. Cincinnati defensive tackle Dontay Corleone sports some of the best tape — and one of the best names — in the 2024 NFL Draft class.
Corleone uses a low center of gravity to dominate his assignment. He gets remarkable leverage for a player of his stature, and his lower body power is unprecedented amongst his peers. Few in the country are built like the Bearcat star, and even fewer know how to translate that strength into production.
Corleone holds a higher grade than this on my personal Big Board, but the mock draft community hasn’t quite caught up to his stellar play yet. For a mid-season exercise, there is no better value in the whole class than Corleone in Round 4.
The marketing ability of a Raiders jersey with “Corleone” on the back would be enough of a reason to do it. “The Godfather” presents Vegas with a sky-high potential that it simply cannot refuse.
*Top Photo: Greg Fiume/Getty Images
