While there’s football left to be played for the Las Vegas Raiders, scouting for the future is a 24/7/365 gig. No one knows that better than interim general manager Champ Kelly. He himself scouted the Miami versus Louisville matchup on Saturday.
As the team embarks on a trip to Miami to keep their winning streak alive, Kelly and director of pro personnel, Dwayne Joseph, beat the team to South Florida. As reported by The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, the Raiders’ top brass was on hand to witness the action.
Not just any scouts. Champ Kelly and Dwayne Joseph beat the team here to Miami. https://t.co/zvLkEDsZHc
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) November 18, 2023
Now, while the future of Kelly is far from set, scouting and preparing the team for the draft is a process that doesn’t stop. It’s not tied to a particular regime per se; rather, evaluating and examining players needs to be done regardless of who’s calling the shots, which, for now, is Kelly.
Who should the Raiders be keeping an eye on?
It should be noted that whomever the Raiders are overserving and who they target will depend on which direction owner Mark Davis goes. A shift in draft philosophy is always present if Champ Kelly doesn’t have the interim tag removed from his title. Still, there’s a lot of notable talent within the Hurricanes that merits attention.
For example, Mel Kiper recently listed his top ten prospects for each position group. Miami has five prospects within the top five of a few groups. Most notable are defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III, along with defensive backs Kamren Kinchens and James Williams.
Miami DT Leonard Taylor is already one of my favorite players for the 2024 NFL Draft. Lightning-quick first step, power to move the line of scrimmage, and he can finish. pic.twitter.com/X59gSo5DQM
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) August 10, 2023
Considering the lack of a presence within the defensive line’s interior, Taylor is an intriguing prospect. Let’s assume Patrick Graham is given more time beyond 2023 to continue building the Raiders defense. If that happens, loading up on a few Miami players wouldn’t hurt.
*Top Photo: AP/Steve Marcus