Raiders Could Lean on Second-Year Players

The Las Vegas Raiders could lean heavily on the players they selected in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Dec 14, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (11) celebrates / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders compiled an impressive 2023 NFL Draft class. 

Some of those players showed they could be key pieces of the team long-term, and the Raiders might need them to be.

Last season, when Antonio Pierce was hired as interim head coach, he made the call to start rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell, showing a level of belief in the fourth-round selection the previous regime did not. 

Given the circumstances, O’Connell performed well. Now, he has the opportunity to earn the starting job again in 2024. 

If O’Connell earns the job, there isn’t a position football teams lean on more than the quarterback. This staff would trust that he can lead them back to the postseason, as they were oh-so-close last season. 

Beyond just O’Connell, the Raiders’ first-round selection last season, defensive end Tyree Wilson, could also be in line for a breakout season. 

In fact, he may not have much of a choice. 

Wilson took some time to ramp up in his rookie season because of an offseason foot surgery. It was a slow burn for Wilson, and he never really got going. That allowed Malcolm Koonce to have a coming-out party and take over as the starting edge rusher across from Maxx Crosby. 

Wilson found some success as an interior rusher, so that may be his role moving forward. Wilson’s role may be taking the pressure off Crosby and Koonce off the edge and eating as a 3-technique. 

The Raiders could lean on two of the pass-catchers they selected last season, too. Tight end Michael Mayer, who got going when Pierce took over, and wide receiver Tre Tucker, who showed flashes of being a field-stretcher, could both be in line for bigger roles in the passing game in 2024. 

With so much uncertainty in the defensive backfield, someone like Jakorian Bennett can earn significant playing time. The explosive athlete out of Maryland played early in the season but struggled after the first few weeks. 

The Raiders could lean on any of these players, as that class was foundational for the Silver and Black. The playing time they earned last season could prove invaluable as they become main contributors in 2024.

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