Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: LB Isaiah Land, Florida A&M
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The Las Vegas Raiders had an inside look at some of the top NFL draft prospects in the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl, and there were a handful of players who made a case on why they should be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Silver and Black will be bringing depth across the entire defense this off-season, and from what we have been told, the Raiders will be drafting heavily on the defensive side of the ball.
A position where the Raiders need depth is the linebacker position, which was plagued by injuries and left to close out the season with two rookie linebackers.
We will be working alongside SI’s Draft Bible to get you the latest information on any potential linebackers the Raiders may consider drafting.
“We’re going to continue to find players who fit what we look for, and continue to build this team in our vision, and I think we’re going to, at the same time, our goal is to win football games, and our goal for next year is to make an improvement over where we were this year,” Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler said.
Linebacker Isaiah Land, Florida A&M
The 6-3 226 pound linebacker out of Florida A&M, Isaiah Land, might have improved his draft stock significantly from his performance in the Senior Bowl.
One of two HBCUs players to perform in this year’s senior bowl had the opportunity to showcase his skills in the FBS competition.
“Land will need to add more go-to moves, counters, and weight to stand a chance as an edge rusher in the NFL, but he has the agility, speed, and muscular frame to potentially be a developmental chess piece,” Draft Bible said of Land.
If scouts had doubts about his pass-rushing ability, he proved them wrong, going up against premier offensive line competition.
The back-to-back Buck Buchanan Award winner, given to the best FCS defensive player, Land has the versatility to line up anywhere in the box.
The Florida A&M edge rusher was pressed into some inside linebacker duty during the game. Still, when he saw action as a pass rusher, his specialty, he collected a fourth-down sack in the fourth quarter that helped seal the win for the National team.
His mix of size, speed, agility, and playmaking ability makes Land one of the top HBCU draft-eligible players but also a top defensive draft-eligible player overall.
Land will have another showing later this month as he participates in the HBCU Legacy Bowl in New Orleans, but there’s no doubt Land can be a potential prospect for the Silver and Black in this year’s draft.
Drafting Land will immediately impact the Raiders' defense, which needs quality depth at that position.
The NFL Draft will occur at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo., from Thursday, April 25, to Saturday, April 29. ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network will broadcast all seven rounds.
The NFL Scouting Combine is Feb. 28-March 6, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. March 7, 2023, before 4 p.m. EST, is the club's deadline to designate Franchise or Transition Players.
March 13-15 is the free agent negotiation period. Starting at 12 p.m. EST on March 13 and ending at 3:59:59 p.m. EST on March 15, clubs are permitted to contact and enter into contract negotiations with the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expiration of their 2022 Player Contracts at 4 p.m. EST on March 15.
The 2023 NFL Year and Free Agency period begins at 4 p.m. EST on March 15. The Raiders are expected to be significant players in the free-agent market this season.
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