The Raiders 2022 draft class could have been a lot better, but that also seems to be the running theme in general here. The Raiders shipped off their first and second round selections for Davante Adams, and then they shipped him off a few years late. The first class for “new” GM Dave Ziegler and head coach Josh McDaniels in hindsight, was not what it should have been.
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 3, 90th Overall: IOL Dylan Parham (original pick)
Original Pick: IOL Dylan Parham
- I could bend the rules here and take Sean Rhyan but a career tackle that’s a hard justification. The 2022 offensive line class featured a ton of talent at the top of the class, but the depth was pretty up and down. I debated Parham with former Chargers 6th rounder Jamaree Salyer & Panthers 6th rounder Cade Mays along with Broncos 5th rounder Luke Wattenberg but Parham has the best career of the bunch, and outside of Mays (who’s now at center) has been the only starter. Parham has mostly lived up to a 3rd round selection, and the 26 year old left Las Vegas for the Jets this off-season after allowing 21 sacks, 157 pressures, and 23 QB hits in his career across 2500 snaps. Parham has had his ups and downs, but overall he’ll carve out a long NFL career as a consistent average starter.
Round 4, 122nd Overall: RB Kyren Williams (164th overall)
Original Pick: RB Zamir White
- Zamir White looked like a possible starter to end the 2023 season with 104 attempts, 405 yards, and a score mostly in his four starts to end the year. Las Vegas entrusted him to be the starter in 2024 and White turned in 183 yards on 65 attempts across 8 games, he’s currently a free agent. Meanwhile, the 2022 RB class has been consistent with Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker, Rachaad White, and others. Notably, Rams star Kyren Williams who’s turned in 3834 yards, 36 touchdowns and a 4.6 average across just 838 attempts with another eight touchdowns and 745 yards through the air. The Pro Bowl & All-Pro back has been a staple of the Rams backfield, and exceptional value.
Round 4, 126th Overall: DT Otito Ogbonnia (160th overall)
Original Pick: DT Neil Farrell Jr
- One thing I have realized from this series is how bad defensive tackles have been late in the class. Neil Farrell logged just 158 snaps for the Raiders before being traded, where he failed a physical, then was released by Las Vegas and bounced between the Chiefs & Dolphins before now being in the UFL and has finished his NFL career with 15 tackles, 2 TFL, and 3 QB hits. Otito Ogbonnia hasn’t turned in a long career, and been hampered by injuries but the 5th rounder is by far the best selection remaining and he’s logged a career 82 tackles, 4 TFL, sack, 7 QB hits, and 3.4% pass rush win rate as a traditional NT through his 41 games with 20 starts.
Round 5, 175th Overall: DT Kalia Davis (220th overall)
Original Pick: DT Matthew Butler
- I really really liked Matt Butler coming out of Tennessee, and he’s actually done enough in his career so far for me to possibly consider keeping his selection at 175th here (that’s how bad the depth at DT was in this class). Butler played 15 games & 168 snaps with the Raiders with 15 tackles, 2 TFL, a QB hit, and half a sack before landing in Miami for the 2025 season where he played 215 snaps with 11 pressures, a 9.8% pass rush win rate, 12 tackles, and 3 QB hits. Kalia Davis has been a rotational nose tackle for the 49ers, and he’s not provided much in terms of his pass rush (3.8% win rate) but he’s turned in 18 run stops, 1.5 sacks, and 9 TFL throughout his career. The depth of the defensive tackle class in 2022 was pretty poor after arguably the first round, and taking a shot here is reaching.
Round 7, 238th Overall: OT Rasheed Walker (250th overall)
Original Pick: OT Thayer Munford Jr
- Thayer Munford, like others above, almost was my pick here where the 7th rounder has carved a good career and will likely continue to do so. Munford played 46 games for the Raiders with 18 starts and then another 5 games with 2 starts in 2025 for the Patriots. He’s allowed a career 11 sacks, 11 hits, and 51 pressures (882 snaps) along with a 5.7% pressure rate across his career at left and right tackle and proven to be a capable swing option.
That said, Packers and now Panthers tackle, Rasheed Walker has been just a bit better with 48 starts in 52 games through his career (1801 snaps) allowing 14 sacks, 13 hits, and 129 pressures with a 7% pressure rate. Walker has been an exceptional run blocker, and a staple at LT for the Packers across the last three seasons. The 26 year old is likely to continue being a middle of the road starting LT in the NFL for the foreseeable future. When considering where the Raiders are, and in 2022 having Kolton Miller anchored for a long time, you can make a strong case that Munford was the better selection for the roster.
Round 7, 250th Overall: RB Isiah Pacheco (251st overall)
Original Pick: RB Brittain Brown
- Brittain Brown never played for the Raiders, and it was tough to find another option here but Pacheco was the next pick and the clear cut one thankfully. While Pacheco has never returned to his rookie year form where he logged 170 attempts, 830 yards, five scours and 130 receiving yards he looked like a capable RB2 in 2023 as well where he logged over 1300 yards from scrimmage across the regular and post season. Pacheco has been in the mold of a starter, and never has been able to sustain such, but he slots in as a capable second or third back, and at worst if a 7th rounder turns in 3-4 years of capable second runningback produciton it’s a good pick.
