This summer, Silver and Black Pride has been diving through the Las Vegas Raiders’ draft history and looking back at each class since the organization moved. Up next is the 2023 draft class, which features nine picks and only three remain on the roster. Also, the three players who remain with the organization are entering the final years of their rookie contracts, adding intrigue to this edition of the series.
This will also be the final lookback of the summer since the entire 2024 class and the majority
of 2025 are still with the Raiders.
Round 1, Pick 7: DE Tyree Wilson
Raiders Stats: 50 games, 91 tackles, 16 TFLs, 12 sacks (3 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: New Orleans Saints
Wilson adds to the long list of first-round busts in the organization’s history, as he never caught on in Vegas and recorded just seven starts despite being a Top 10 pick. He was a solid run defender but didn’t put it together as a pass-rusher, leading to the Texas Tech product getting traded for a fifth-round pick–which the Raiders used on Arizona safety Dalton Johnson–to the Saints. So, 2026 will be a fresh start with a new team for Wilson, and he’ll have something to prove since the Saints didn’t pick up his fifth-year option.
Round 2, Pick 35: TE Michael Mayer
Raiders Stats: 38 games, 83 catches, 788 yards, 3 TDs (3 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: Raiders
It’s safe to say Mayer hasn’t lived up to the billing yet. He was considered a good value pick at the top of the second round but has never amassed more than 350 yards in a season and has been inconsistent as a blocker. Granted, missing time due to injury over the years and having to step away from the team for an extended period during the 2024 campaign play major factors in the lack of production. Regardless, this feels like the “now or never” type of season for the Notre Dame product, where he’s looking to prove he can be a valuable second tight end in Klint Kubiak’s 12-personnel-heavy offense.
Round 3, Pick 70: DT Byron Young
Raiders Stats: 6 games, 4 tackles, 0 TFLs, 0 sacks (1 season)
Post-Raiders Stats: 17 games, 37 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2.5 sacks (1 season)
Current Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Taking Young in the third round was such a bad pick that it sparked an internet rumor that the Raiders meant to take the other Byron Young, who was selected by the Los Angeles Rams seven spots later. The Alabama defensive tackle was highly overdrafted and quickly flamed out in Vegas, hardly seeing the field as a rookie before getting cut at the end of training camp in year two. Young got picked up by the Eagles and sat for all of 2024 with an injury, but he was a decent depth player in their defensive line rotation last year.
Round 3, Pick 100: WR Tre Tucker
Raiders Stats: 50 games, 123 catches, 1,566 yards, 10 TDs (3 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: Raiders
Tucker is easily the best player from this draft class for the Raiders. He’s gotten better and more productive every year of his career so far, going from being a contributor off the bench as a rookie to having a chance to be the offense’s top wide receiver heading into the upcoming campaign. Of course, tight end Brock Bowers will be the focal point of the Silver and Black’s offense, but the former third-round pick has a chance to prove himself as the second option in the offense’s passing game before his contract expires in the offseason.
Round 4, Pick 104: CB Jakorian Bennett
Raiders Stats: 24 games, 58 tackles, 0 INTs, 11 PDs (2 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: 11 games, 7 tackles, 0 INTs, 1 PD (1 season)
Current Team: Philadelphia Eagles
At this point last year, it seemed like Bennett had a shot to be the top cornerback on Las Vegas’ defense. However, he was deemed not a fit in then-head coach Pete Carroll’s system and was traded to Philadelphia for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV. The cornerback received minimal playing time last season, recording just 101 defensive snaps and one start, which came in a meaningless Week 18 matchup and accounted for nearly 70 percent of his playing time. Heading into the upcoming campaign, Bennett will likely be battling for a roster spot with Quinyon Mitchell and Riq Woolen as the Eagles’ projected starting outside cornerbacks.
Round 4, Pick 135: QB Aidan O’Connell
Raiders Stats: 21 games, 62.0% completions, 3,932 yards, 20 TDs, 11 INTs (3 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: Raiders
At one point, O’Connell had a chance to be the Raiders’ long-term starting quarterback. However, that never came to fruition, and he’s looking at being the team’s third/emergency QB behind Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza this fall. That makes this year’s preseason especially important for the Purdue product, as that might be the only chance he gets to play before hitting free agency in the offseason.
Round 5, Pick 170: S Chris Smith II
Raiders Stats: 36 games, 10 tackles, 0 INTs, 0 PDs (3 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: 5 games, 0 tackles, 0 INTs, 0 PDs (1 season)
Current Team: N/A
When he was drafted, Smith seemed like a steal as a fifth-round pick. The 2022 Unanimous All-American was coming off a very impressive tenure at Georgia but slid in the draft due to speed and athleticism concerns. That ended up pushing the former Bulldog into a special teams-only role in the NFL, as he has recorded just 36 defensive snaps over three seasons, per Pro Football Focus. Smith was waived by the Raiders in mid-November of last year before getting claimed by the Los Angeles Rams, and then was picked up by the New York Jets after getting waived by the Rams. The Jets let the safety go at the beginning of May, making him a free agent heading into training camp.
Round 6, Pick 203: LB Amari Burney
Raiders Stats: 24 games, 32 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 FF, 0 PDs (2 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: N/A
Burney was never more than a special teamer during his couple of seasons in Las Vegas, but he was a good one in 2024 with a 71.1 PFF grade in that department. However, the Florida product was let go during OTAs last year and got claimed by the Tennessee Titans but didn’t make the Titans’ 53-man roster or practice squad. Currently not on a team, it seems like Burney’s NFL career will be a short one.
Round 7, Pick 231: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
Raiders Stats: 9 games, 10 tackles, 0 TFLs, 0 sacks (2 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: N/A
Silvera showed a few flashes of promise during his two preseasons and limited regular-season action with the Silver and Black, but was never consistent enough to stick on the roster. He ended up getting waived in mid-October during the 2024 season and was added to the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad. However, Silvera was not retained in San Francisco, signing with the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers last year but failing to make either team’s roster. He was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks in the UFL’s Free Agent draft, but didn’t make the Battlehawks’ roster either.
