What is the story about?
The 2023 draft class, Dave Ziegler’s and Josh McDaniels first class with a full season of preparation, and the second class I was able to predict their first round pick (thankfully I stopped being able to do that after this season). The class features a few players still on the roster as is, and a few that should continue to be Raiders going forward, but also a few massive whiffs.
A fun idea I had was a re-draft, but not any re-draft that just picks the best player, I wanted to re-draft the Raiders
for 2020 but use the same positions at each selection. For example in 2019 at 4th overall, while I would desperately want to take a defensive tackle, the Raiders selected EDGE Clelin Ferrell and thus they’ll stick at EDGE. A few rules:
- Any player can be selected, but only one’s who were available with that pick to start with, for example a busted first round pick, who still produced but not at a first round value I can’t take in round 3 or 4
- I MUST take a player at the same position that was taken at that selection (QB for QB, RB for RB, etc)
- The overall selections remain the same, I won’t assume a trade does or doesn’t happen
I plan to do a redraft for 2019 to 2025 re-draft and then my own personal “what I would do” 2026 re-draft so keep an eye on those.
Round 1, 7th Overall: EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu (55th overall)
Original Pick: EDGE Tyree Wilson
- Immediately after Tyree Wilson went Bijan Robinson, Jalen Carter, Darnell Wright, Peter Skornoski, and Jahmyr Gibbs and right before him was Devon Witherspoon but that said he was shockingly not the worst first rounder that year with a few other massive whiffs sprinkled in. It took a second for me to find the better pass rusher here with McDonald & Tuli Tuipulotu the main standouts to take here. Wilson was an athletic anomaly out of Texas Tech with a 6’6, 265 frame, 35 inch arms, and good reported athletic testing. A foot injury slowed his initial season, and he’s developed into a quality 4th pass rusher and situational run defender, which for the 7th overall pick is not good, or great value, and logged 91 tackles, 16 TFL, 12 sacks, and 4 forced fumbles for the Raiders before being shipped to New Orleans earlier this year.
Will McDonald has his inconsistencies, and he’s a pretty poor run defender, but the 27 year old does well vs the pass and has developed into a strong pass rusher in that regard. That said, Chargers 2nd rounder Tuli Tuipulotu has developed into a better pass rusher, and far better run defender giving him the edge here. The 24 year old has 144 tackles, 39 TFL, 52 QB hits, and 26 sacks along with 5 forced fumbles in his first three seasons, which feature a pro bowl 2025 due to 13 sacks, 23 hits, and 20 TFL. He’s added a 12.7% pass rush win rate, and has been a capable run defender. While at the time a reach at 7th overall, he’s proven to arguably be the best EDGE rusher taken in the entire class.
Round 2, 35th Overall: TE Tucker Kraft (78th overall)
Original Pick: TE Michael Mayer
- This comes down to Mayer, Tucker Kraft, and Steelers tackle/tightend/alien Darnell Washington. Mayer hasn’t fully had the chance to show his pre draft abilities as a 2nd rounder logging just 83 receptions, 788 yards, and three scores in 38 games but he’s been hampered by an off-field situation and being behind Brock Bowers. Mayer should have a strong 2026, and at just 25, he’s a capable blocker with decent receiving upside to turn in a long NFL career. Skipping to Darnell Washington, the value of a 6’7/270 pound pure blocking TE in round two is likely poor, but he’s a game changer in the run game, and he’s seen his receiving prowess develop across the last two years including 364 yards and a score in 2025.
Tucker Kraft was my TE3 this year behind Mayer & Kincaid (whiffed on LaPorta big time). The second Packers draft pick at TE this year has been the best one. Kraft hauled in 113 receptions, 1551 yards, and 15 scores over 42 games with 33 starts including 700 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. He’s a capable blocker, good athlete, and does well with the ball in his hands for YAC situations. Kraft projects as a better Mayer in the Raiders roster behind Brock Bowers, and like Mayer should have a long career.
Round 3, 100th Overall: DT Jalen Redmond (UDFA) or the Byron Young they meant to draft
Original Pick: DT Byron Young
- I’ll stop beating that drum, but the Raiders drafted the wrong Byron Young (literally they accidentally did) and he’s played 23 NFL games with 41 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 3 TFL mainly with most his production coming in 2025 on the Eagles. On the other hand, the other Byron Young is a 2x Pro Bowler with 27.5 sacks, 205 tackles, 32 TFL, and 61 QB hits along with 5 FF in his 51 game career. Like the 2022, and other classes, the depth at DT was not great in this class and I truly did struggle to find a pick here with Karl Brooks & Dante Stills being the two best before I landed on Redmond.
Redmond started his career in the UFL, then landed with the Vikings in 2024 and has exploded into one of the best pure pass rush defensive tackles in the NFL. He’s logged a career 7.5% pass rush win rate, 44 pressures, 7 sacks, 18 TFL, and 80 tackles across his last two seasons with 6.5 sacks, 14 TFL, 11 QB hits, and 38 pressures in 2025 with a 9.2% win rate. Redmond is an ultra athletic defensive tackle, does well on loops, stunts, and twists, and has turned into one of the better situational players in the NFL who can hold up vs the run as well.
Round 4, 104th Overall: WR Puka Nacua (177th overall)
Original Pick: WR Tre Tucker
- The off-field aspects aside here (though that would play a big role), there’s no debating this pick. I am a big fan of Tre Tucker, he’s logged 123 receptions, 1566 yards, and 10 touchdowns in his career and should have a good NFL career as a 2nd/3rd receiver in most rooms. All that in mind, Nacua may be the best receiver in the NFL and his 129 receptions, 1715 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2025 alone basically outplay Tucker’s entire career. He’s a 2x All Pro, 2x Pro Bowler, and finished second in both OROY and OPOY in his first three seasons with a career 313 receptions, 4191 yards, 19 touchdowns, and his career 95.3 yards/game are on pace to break the NFL all time record. He’s also added 654 yards, 44 receptions, and three touchdowns in the playoffs across six games.
Round 4, 104th Overall: Chamarri Conner (119th overall)
Original Pick: CB Jakorian Bennett
- Bennett looked like a possible standout consistent cornerback for the Raiders in 2024 before a shoulder injury. In 10 games he logged 9 breakups, 26 tackles, and 2 dropped interceptions while allowing just 233 yards (52% reception rate), no touchdowns, and a 67.7 QBR. He was then traded to the Eagles for Thomas Booker, and played in just 98 snaps for Philadelphia. Conner has turned into another standout Chiefs cornerback, with 1900 snaps in three years allowing a career 98.6 QBR & 1159 yards on a 75% reception rate. He’s added four interceptions, 14 breakups, and 230 tackles. I debated this pick with Colts CB Jaylon Jones & Packers nickel Carrington Vallentine, who have had their ups and downs as has Conner.
Round 4, 135th Overall: QB Aidan O’Connell (original pick)
Original Pick: QB Aidan O’Connell
- O’Connell is really the only clear cut option hear, after him the only other possibilities are Cardinals backup Clayton Tune & Eagles backup Tanner McKee along with Tyson Bagent. O’Connell isn’t a starting QB in the NFL, but he likely can be a strong 2nd or 3rd option in most rooms for the foreseeable future. The soon to be 28 year old has a career 62% completion rate, 3932 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions along with a 7-10 starting record.
Round 5, 170th Overall: SAF Ronnie Hickman (UDFA)
Original Pick: SAF Christopher Smith II
- Smith appeared in 36 games for the Raiders from 2023-2025 before being released and spending parts of 2025 on the Rams & Jets. A primary special teams standout, Smith logged just 36 defensive snaps with 15 special teams tackles across 623 snaps. The safeties didn’t really pan out as you’d expect & Hickman is the clear cut best option. The former Ohio State standout is coming off a 2025 with 103 tackles, a TFL, 2 interceptions, and 8 PBU across 17 starts. He’s turned into a consistent starting safety in his NFL tenure, and he’s played well on special teams in limited roles as well.
Round 6, 203rd Overall: ILB Ivan Pace Jr (UDFA)
Original Pick: ILB Amari Burney
- This came down to two UDFA linebackers, Pace & former Raider now Seahawk standout Drake Thomas. Burney played 24 games for Las Vegas with 32 tackles, 3 TFL, a QB hit, and sack before spending 2025 and the spring of 2026 in the UFL. Thomas, wild undersized, is a capable NFL linebacker and took over duties for the Seahawks in route to the super bowl with 96 tackles, 10 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 7 QB hits, an interception, and 9 breakups. He allowed just 409 yards and a 81.8 QBR with a 8% missed tackle rate as well.
Another undersized linebacker, Ivan Pace has turned around a strong NFL career starting 27 of 45 games with a career 236 tackles, 11 TFL, 22 QB hits, 2 interceptions, 3 breakups, 2 touchdowns, and 7 sacks. Over three seasons he’s allowed just 499 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an 87.5 QBR in coverage with a 9% missed tackle rate. Either option was strong here, I lean Thomas as Pace has seen more down recently than up, but both were very capable linebackers, and the Raiders could have had Thomas to begin with.
Round 7, 231st Overall: DT Moro Ojomo (249th overall)
Original Pick: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
- Jade Silvera, like others on the Raiders recent drafts, is currently in the UFL after just 10 tackles in 9 games across the 2023 and 2024 season for the Raiders. Shortly after his selection, the Eagles took Texas standout Moro Ojomo who was new to football having played for just 5 seasons, but he’s developed well into a future 10 million or more player. Ojomo turned in 38 tackles, 8 TFL, 12 QB hits, and 6 sacks in 2025 across 17 games with 9 starts. He added a 12% pass rush win rate and 57 pressures across 477 attempts, a year removed from a 2024 season with a 18% pass rush win rate and 43 pressures in 342 snaps.
