HENDERSON, Nev. -- The 2023 NFL draft ended Saturday in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The Las Vegas Raiders made nine of the draft’s 259 picks, beginning with the No. 7 selection of the first round on Thursday night.
ESPN's pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Raiders' selections is below.
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 7 overall: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech.
My take: The Raiders are hoping to make a pass rush -- featuring two-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby and potential Hall of Famer Chandler Jones -- even stronger with the addition of Wilson, who had seven sacks in each of the past two seasons. And while cornerback may be a more pressing need, a more fearsome pass rush will help the secondary immensely. Wilson was the best player available for general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels, so expectations are high for Wilson to contribute immediately as the Raiders need to affect opposing quarterbacks.
Will he start as a rookie? Not if Jones has anything to say about it. This is ironic given that Wilson has drawn so many comparisons to the potential Hall of Famer. Still, Jones is coming off a 4.5-sack season, the fewest in a full season of his 11-year career, and just turned 33 in February. Maybe Wilson's arrival sparks a revitalization for Jones, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing as a bookend for Crosby.
Is this pick for depth, or does it fill a hole?: The simple answer -- yes. It actually does both. The Raiders had just 27 sacks as a team last season -- third-worst in the NFL -- but the pass-rushing duo of Crosby and Jones was actually a strength on a bad defense. Plus, the better the pass rush, the more it helps a secondary still trying to get its footing in coverage.
Round 2, No. 35 overall: Michael Mayer, tight end, Notre Dame
My take: The Raiders needed a tight end after trading former Pro Bowler Darren Waller to the New York Giants for a third-round pick and letting Foster Moreau walk in free agency. Yes, even with Las Vegas signing O.J. Howard and Austin Hooper. The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Mayer checks the box as a much-needed blocking tight end but can also fill the role of a pass catcher. Raiders coach Josh McDaniels' offense had traditionally relied on a big-bodied tight end with soft hands who can be a red-zone threat, and while Rob Gronkowski is a pie-in-the-sky comparison, you can see the reasoning, especially since Las Vegas traded up three slots to draft Mayer.
Will Mayer play a lot early? As a second-round pick and a rating among the top two players at the position, and with the Raiders' two top tight ends gone from last season, the expectation should be that Mayer wins the job in camp and goes on to numerous Pro Bowls, right? After all, the last Notre Dame tight end the Raiders drafted, Dave Casper, went on to a Hall of Fame career. We kid. Kinda. Because comparing Mayer to "Ghost" is beyond unfair. At least with a pair of veterans on the roster in Howard and Hooper, Mayer can be eased into his role.
Round 3, No. 70 overall: Byron Young, defensive tackle, Alabama
My take: The Raiders addressed a position of need with someone at the top of their draft board in taking Young, who may be a tad undersized for a defensive tackle at 6-3, 294 pounds. But having addressed edge rusher in the first round with Tyree Wilson, Young can settle into a role of a run-stuffer who can occasionally push the pocket and clean up after pass-rushers create havoc. At least that’s the hope in Las Vegas after that’s exactly what he did for Alabama with Will Anderson, Jr. on the outside.
Key stat: Young was a steady riser on the stat sheet in his four years at Alabama, his 47 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a senior both career highs. His nine QB hits last season were also the most by an SEC interior defensive lineman. So, yeah, he has shown an ability to affect the passer with his 11-inch hands and 34 3/8-inch arms. Even as his primary responsibility will be as a run stuffer.
Round 3, No. 100 overall: Tre Tucker, wide receiver, Cincinnati
My take: The Raiders added a speedy slot receiver in Tucker, who ran a 4.4 40-time at the combine along with a 10-4 broad jump, with the pick acquired in the Darren Waller trade. The Raiders already have an accomplished slot man in former Pro Bowler Hunter Renfrow, who is the constant target of trade rumors. And Tucker, who caught 52 passes for 672 yards and three touchdowns last season, also returned two kicks for scores. The Raiders already boast an All-Pro WR in Davante Adams and signed Jakobi Meyers in free agency but, as coach Josh McDaniels has said, the Raiders are not afraid to make a strength stronger.
Is this a pick for depth, or does it fill a hole? Depth, with a capital D. Unless, of course, the Raiders do trade Renfrow. As noted above, the Raiders already have an All-Pro in Adams, invested heavily in Meyers and also added Phillip Dorsett, Cam Sims and DeAndre Carter in free agency, while bringing back Keelan Cole Sr. Using a third-round pick on Tucker, though, means they are more invested in him, so who would be the odd man out? Kick return seems to be a priority, with Danny Amendola joining the staff as a return coach.
Round 4, No. 104 overall (from Houston): Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
My take: The Raiders finally addressed the cornerback position in taking the ballhawkish Bennett, who led all defensive backs in the country with 27 pass deflections over the past two seasons (he also had five INTs). The Raiders traded up five spots to select the 5-foot-11, 188-pound Bennett, who contemplated quitting football in high school. The Raiders, though, figure with his speed (he ran a 4.3 40 at the combine) and versatility (he can also play in the slot and has projected out as a free safety), he fills multiple needs. Las Vegas likes his stick-to-itiveness, be it in school (he went the junior college route) or in coverage to address the need in the secondary.
Round 4, No. 135 overall (from New England), Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue
My take: Another box checked as the Raiders needed to draft a quarterback to develop for the future after moving on from nine-year starter Derek Carr and signing Jimmy Garoppolo. Las Vegas traded up nine spots to select O’Connell, the eighth QB drafted. The Raiders also signed veteran Brian Hoyer and return Chase Garbers and coach Josh McDaniels said this offseason his goal was to have young QBs in his system for years to learn the scheme, rather than plug and play vets. The 6-feet-3, 213-pound O’Connell will have the luxury of learning the NFL game without the pressure of having to play immediately.
Round 5, No. 170 overall (from Green Bay via NY Jets), Christopher Smith II, safety, Georgia
My take: The Raiders packaged later picks to move up to No. 170 overall to select an undersized safety who they hope can help in the takeaway department. The 5-feet-11, 192-pound Smith did have six interceptions over the past two seasons for a dominant defense at Georgia. So he has the pedigree. The question, then, is how will it translate to the NFL? The Raiders anticipate Smith bringing more than depth to a secondary in need of playmakers and competition for backup snaps should be high, with the Raiders having signed Marcus Epps in free agency and former second-round pick Tre'von Moehrig returning for his third season.
Round 6, No. 203 overall: Amari Burney, LB, Florida
My take: The Raiders, who need bodies at linebacker, finally addressed the position in the draft with Burney, a one-year starter for the Gators. Granted, the Raiders are generally in a nickel defense and they have their two starters in coverage-heavy Divine Deablo and run-stuffer Robert Spillane. Las Vegas, then, figures to be busy in the rookie free-agent linebacker market. And as a converted safety not afraid to stick his nose in on tackles, the Raiders hope Burney provides more than depth at the position as an active player after posting 79 tackles, four sacks, nine tackles for a loss, two interceptions, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles in 13 games last season.
Round 7, No. 231 overall (from New England): Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State
My take: Las Vegas entered the draft with 12 picks, did some wheeling and dealing to move up a few times and left with nine selections, with Silvera as the final pick. The Raiders needed some interior push and think the 6-feet-2, 304-pound nose tackle can provide it. He started his college career at Miami and finished at ASU, showing some of that versatility valued by this regime with 1.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for a loss among his 56 tackles last season. He also had three pass breakups. The Raiders hope to untap the potential he showed coming out of high school, when he was a top-50 recruit. Six of the Raiders’ nine picks were on the defensive side of the ball.