B
Las Vegas Raiders
A franchise passer in Penix Jr. headlines a B weekend for the Raiders.
by sportelaspgmailcom ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 4 steals
· 1 reaches
The one hole that towered over the rest is filled. The Raiders spent their marquee pick on Michael Penix Jr., and for the first time in a while there is a real answer at quarterback. It does the job without flash, and the B reflects it.
Leaving edge rusher unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. The Lloyd pick is the one they will point to when this weekend is judged.
They will need Hall to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it. The roster is better shaped than it was, with cornerback chief among the fixes.
In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the edge rusher spot they never got to.
Pick-by-Pick
In No. 13 they get the arm they will build around. A real need, handled.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at the Round 2 slot is money in the bank, a cornerback taken below his worth. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They took Roman Wilson at par in Round 3, Pick 13, which is nothing to complain about. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Dominick Puni slid further than he should have, and the 112th overall pick is lovely value for the offensive lineman. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A top-tier running back at a bargain, MarShawn Lloyd in slot 150, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They paid a round early for Gabe Hall in the 190th pick, more than the board wanted. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A quiet steal in pick 234: Blake Watson for less than the market said. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.