2024 NFL Mock Draft: Raiders Targeting Key Positions as Draft Approaches

The 2024 NFL Draft is less now just two weeks away.

Prospects are meeting with teams as they try to determine who best fits within their rosters.

The Las Vegas Raiders are among those teams, looking for players to fit their long-term core and help them get back into the playoffs. The Raiders have key needs at deep positions in this class.

With that, let’s take a look at the sixth edition of our NFL mock draft.

1. Chicago Bears (from Panthers) Caleb Williams, QB, USC

A new era of Bears football begins as the Bears land who they hope is their franchise quarterback. Williams is a supreme talent with a strong arm and tremendous improvisation skills.

2. Washington Commanders – Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU

The Commanders go with a player who can do interesting things in offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s new system. Daniels throws with precision and is also the best running quarterback in the class.

3. New England Patriots – Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

The Patriots are beginning a new era as well. The Jerod Mayo era begins with a quarterback with elite tools and a massive arm. Maye threw for over 8,000 yards in his Tar Heels career.

4. Minnesota Vikings (from Cardinals) – J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan

The Vikings trade up to the No. 4 selection in this draft, and the Cardinals trade down to No. 11. They land their franchise quarterback in McCarthy who has elite tools, but it has yet to be seen if he can survive the passing volume.

5. Los Angeles Chargers – Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Chargers feel incredibly fortunate to have possibly the best prospect in the class fall to them. Harrison has the potential to be a star right away and become a favorite target of Justin Herbert.

6. New York Giants – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

New York needs a No. 1 wide receiver and they find it in Nabers. The LSU product is possibly the most explosive player in the class and will be able to elevate the Giants’ offense tremendously.

7. Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame

The Titans need to continue to address their offensive line to protect their new franchise quarterback, Will Levis. Alt is the best offensive lineman in the class with an elite frame and excellent pass-protecting skills.

8. Atlanta Falcons – Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama

The Falcons have needed to address their pass rush for a long time. They bet on Turner’s traits and collegiate production to elevate their pass rush. The Alabama product posted 32.5 tackles for loss and 22.5 sacks in his collegiate career.

9. Chicago Bears – Rome Odunze, WR, Washington

After landing their franchise quarterback, the Bears find him another receiving option. A wide receiver trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, and Odunze isn’t a bad situation for a rookie quarterback to walk into.

10. New York Jets – Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

The Jets struggled badly with offensive line play last season, dealing with various injuries to their starters. They take Fashanu here and hope he can be a long-term option at either left or right tackle, as he has the athleticism to play both.

11. Arizona Cardinals (from Vikings)- Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU

After trading down, the Cardinals find Kyler Murray a new weapon. Wide receiver is a desperate need for the Cardinals, and Thomas provides a field-stretching option for them.

12. Denver Broncos – Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA

The Broncos need a dominant edge rusher, which would elevate their defense to another level. Latu has the size and speed to develop into a Pro Bowl edge rusher. Denver takes him here and hopes to develop him into that.

13. Las Vegas Raiders – Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State

The Raiders find a right tackle to replace Jermaine Eluemunor. Fuaga is an excellent run blocker who can develop into a great pass protector. He can also play guard if Las Vegas needs him to.

14. New Orleans Saints – Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington

If Ryan Ramczyk is going to miss time with a knee injury, the Saints need to find someone to play tackle. Fautanu has the athleticism to do that and can also play guard.

15. Indianapolis Colts – Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia

The Colts add another pass-catching option for Anthony Richardson. Coach Shane Steichen could do some interesting things with Bowers, who has the most unique skill set of possibly any tight end prospect ever.

16. Seattle Seahawks – Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

If Abraham Lucas’ injury is worse than Seattle expected, they may add a player like Mims, who is massive at 6-foot-7 and 340 pounds and can move at an absurd level. He only made eight starts in college, so he will need to adapt quickly.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Jacksonville needs to find a running mate at cornerback for Tyson Campbell. They get that in Mitchell, a quick, explosive, competitive corner. He adds another excellent talent to a young Jaguars’ secondary.

18. Cincinnati Bengals – Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas

The Bengals need to find a replacement for D.J. Reader. They get that in Murphy, who is a little bit smaller than a typical defensive tackle, but he was one of the top run stoppers in college football last season.

19. Los Angeles Rams – Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State

The Rams lost Aaron Donald on the interior, but they add an edge presence in Verse and hope Kobie Turner can rush the passer from the inside. Verse has elite size and speed and could be a dominant edge rusher.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama

Mike Tomlin knows how to find talent in the secondary. It’s not hard to project that Arnold will be an excellent player. He slides in seamlessly in an elite defense with his high IQ and impressive traits.

21. Miami Dolphins – Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, DT, Illinois

The Dolphins let Christian Wilkins go to the Raiders, so they need to find a replacement on the interior. Newton has the best pass-rush skills of any defensive tackle in the class. He generated 59 pressures and recorded four sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson

This pick has remained the same for six weeks. Wiggins is an excellent fit in Vic Fangio’s scheme as a player who can play lots of press-man. He posted 21 pass break-ups in his collegiate career.

23. Minnesota Vikings (from Texans via Browns) – Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

The Vikings landed J.J. McCarthy in the top five, and then with this pick, they get one of the top defensive back prospects. DeJean is a smooth, impressive athlete who can play cornerback or safety and can also contribute on special teams.

24. Dallas Cowboys – JC Latham, OT, Alabama

The Cowboys lost longtime starter Tyron Smith this offseason, so they have to find a player to replace him on the offensive line. That’s where Latham comes in, a tackle with strength who can immediately contribute as a run blocker.

25. Green Bay Packers – Graham Barton, OL, Duke

The Packers value versatility in their offensive linemen. Barton played mostly left tackle at Duke but has the skill set to play inside as well. He would fit seamlessly in Green Bay.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State

Tampa Bay needs to find a long-term option as a pass rusher. Robinson is the most athletic defender in the class with elite explosiveness off the snap and the ability to get to the quarterback lightning fast.

27. Arizona Cardinals (from Texans) – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

The Cardinals land a wide receiver earlier in the draft, then, they land one of the top cornerbacks in the class. McKinstry suffered a foot fracture but still performed well at his Pro Day. He is one of the top athletes in the class with an unrivaled competitive edge.

28. Buffalo Bills – Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas

After trading away Stefon Diggs last week, the Bills need to address their wide receiver room. They add Mitchell here, a true height-weight-speed receiver who posted impressive numbers on a College Football Playoff team.

29. Detroit Lions – Christian Haynes, G, UConn

The Lions have the luxury of not needing to address many holes in the draft. One hole that they may need to figure out is the interior offensive line. They added Kevin Zeitler on a one-year contract but may need to find a long-term option. Haynes is an imposing presence in the run game who could be a major asset to the Lions’ offense.

30. Baltimore Ravens – Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

The Ravens need to add receiving options for Lamar Jackson. Worthy is the fastest receiver in the class, and offensive coordinator Todd Monken could use him in a multitude of ways.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon

The 49ers could elevate their offense by improving their offensive line. What better way to do that than to add the best center in the class? Powers-Johnson is massive for the position and can open up holes in the run game for Christian McCaffery.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia

The only thing the Chiefs need to improve their already stacked team is a receiving option for Patrick Mahomes. McConkey is an impressive athlete who can play on the outside or in the slot.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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2024-04-11 20:10:59
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