It’s been a strange year for the Las Vegas Raiders. Or, as they’re now known, Seattle Seahawks II: Electric Boogaloo. Tom Brady became the unofficial football decision-maker after joining the ownership group. After a disappointing season, the Raiders hired Pete Carroll as their new head coach and traded for his former quarterback, Geno Smith. The two posted back-to-back 9-8 campaigns as Smith was resurgent under Carroll. Now they’ll look to recapture some success in a loaded AFC West.
The sixth overall pick can do a lot to repair a team lacking talent at many positions. Let’s try to predict who Las Vegas will take on Thursday as it begins a new era.
Trade Odds: Medium
With the quarterback position spoken for, Las Vegas sits in an interesting position. Before the Smith acquisition, it was a favorite landing spot for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders. The need and his relationship with Brady checked a lot of boxes. Now the need is gone, but Sanders may still be there when the Raiders are on the clock. If another team comes calling, will the Raiders entertain trading back?
They have all of their own draft picks, plus two extra sixth-round compensatory selections. It’s possible that new GM John Spytek will look to hoard even more picks by trading down. It would go a long way toward making his own imprint on the roster.
The Pick: RT Armand Membou, Missouri
Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty is one of the most commonly mocked choices here, and rightly so. He’s at +145 odds to be chosen here, and it’s more or less a two-man race with Membou at +200.
I think Membou is the pick here based on the Raiders’ new general manager. Spytek comes from a Tampa Bay management group that consistently valued trench play while eschewing the running back position. Jeanty is a different kind of beast in the backfield, but top-end talent at the tackle spots is hard to come by. While Jeanty is the better player and fits a position of need, Membou is the kind of guy you can’t find outside the top of the draft or in free agency.
A strong tackle pairing in Kolton Miller and Membou helps protect their investment in Geno Smith. They’ll have work to do at the skill positions, but that comes after they build out their trench play.
