Raiders' 2023 Rookie Draft Class Re-Graded

The Las Vegas Raiders still expect their 2023 NFL Draft class to be a vital part of their turnaround. The Athletic re-grades the Raiders' 2023 NFL Draft haul.

The Las Vegas Raiders secured multiple players in the 2023 NFL Draft they feel will be integral parts of their future. In the first round, they selected defensive lineman Tyree Wilson. They then traded up in the second round to select arguably the best tight end available in the draft, Michael Mayer.

Diante Lee of The Athletic re-graded teams’ 2023 draft picks in an article posted Thursday. Lee gave the Raiders an overall D+ grade for their 2023 NFL Draft haul, putting them in the “Unimpressive and/or re-evaluate in 2024” category.

Although Lee’s overall grade of the Raiders’ picks are somewhat harsh, the category he placed them in is fair. Both Wilson and Mayer were negatively impacted by the coaching staff that drafted them. 

Wilson played out of position most of the season until former Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels was fired. After the coaching change, Wilson was regularly placed on the interior defensive line, and the Raiders’ defense as a whole flourished. Moving Wilson to the inside played to his strengths and allowed him to have a much better second half of the season.

Unlike last offseason, Wilson will have a full offseason to prepare for the NFL season, which should help the second-year player start the season in better shape than he did last year when he was coming off a foot injury. 

Wilson’s second season in the league should allow his development to be more fairly graded than after his rookie season in the league. His ability to play on the interior defensive line and on the edge should only help the Raiders’ defense improve even more next season.

“Tyree Wilson (No. 7) didn’t generate the kind of consistent pressure you’d want from a top-10 pick, but we may see a more specific role for him on the edge now that Christian Wilkins is in the fold,” Lee said.

The Raiders traded up in the second round of the draft for the undeniable potential of Mayer. Early in his rookie season, McDaniels and former Raiders Offensive Coordinator Mick Lombardi struggled to find a consistent role for Mayer, as they routinely had him blocking more than catching passes. 

Mayer was inserted into an offense that already had arguably the best wide receiver and one of the best running backs in the league on the same offense. So, naturally, that left little room for the Raiders to feature a rookie tight end, no matter how talented. 

“Michael Mayer (No. 35) put up decent production, and he can fit in Luke Getsy’s offense just as Cole Kmet did,” Lee said. “There’s some potential for growth out of Las Vegas’ top-100 picks.”

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently have the No. 13 overall pick.

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