Where do the Raiders Rank in Post-Draft AFC Landscape?

The Las Vegas Raiders have been rebuilding all offseason, as their 2024 campaign ended as well as it began. Falling to fourth place in the AFC West division last season with four wins and 13 losses, the Raiders have gone about their offseason as well as they could when it comes to rebuilding this team for the future.

Replacing both the head coach and general manager positions with Pete Carroll and John Spytek, respectively, the Raiders front office and leadership have already made them much improved from last year. Coming off of the 2025 NFL Draft, Las Vegas has added extra pieces to the puzzle on the road to recovery.

Drafting running back Ashton Jeanty as well as wide receiver Jack Bech should give the offense a boost, as well as bringing in defensive depth, for the road. On top of the draft picks, the franchise also extended superstar Maxx Crosby as well as quarterback Geno Smith, who they acquired from Seattle earlier this offseason.

Still looking to find their path back to the top of the AFC West, it is going to have to begin by being viewed as a Top 10 AFC conference team. According to CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani, the Raiders rank as the 12th best AFC team following the draft festivities.

"The most important decision the Raiders made this offseason was trading for quarterback Geno Smith and giving him a pay raise. He's better than what Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew provided for Vegas, but Smith also experiences quite a downgrade in wide receivers -- going from DK Metcalf, Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker," Dajani wrote.

"With that being said, maybe rookies Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr. can step up. He also has star tight end Brock Bowers to throw to. Plus, a lot will be asked of No. 6 overall pick running back Jeanty. Defensively, keep an eye on Malcolm Koonce opposite of Maxx Crosby. He reupped with the franchise after missing all of last season due to a torn ACL."

With the Raiders looking to compete in a stacked AFC West division, it will either guide them down the path of improved success, or back to the bottom of the division if they can't right their 2024 woes.

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