The Las Vegas Raiders came away with a total of eight players in the 2024 NFL Draft, with the team making at least one selection in every round, and a pair in the seventh.
While their class wasn't exactly among the most popular of the 32 teams in the NFL, the Raiders' group was mostly well-received by experts, and for good reason, as Las Vegas figures to have at least a pair of immediate contributors coming in.
As is the case with every NFL draft, some players will benefit from what the Raiders did, while others will not. Knowing that, here's a look at the Raiders who were the biggest winners and losers as a result of Las Vegas' 2024 selections.
Raiders biggest winners and losers
Winners: QBs Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell
Going into the draft, Raiders fans were practically begging for Telesco to grab a quarterback early because most feel that neither Minshew nor O'Connell are difference-makers or long-term answers at the position.
Instead, the only quarterback Telesco added was undrafted free-agent signal-caller Carter Bradley out of South Alabama, who will just be looking to make the roster out of training camp.
With the Raiders not having invested an early-round pick — let alone any picks — in the position, that leaves just Minshew and O'Connell battling for the starting job in training camp, giving each of them a better chance.
Loser: TE Michael Mayer
One of the last positions we thought the Raiders would address was tight end thanks to the team drafting Mayer in the second round last year. But general manager Tom Telesco threw us a curve ball when he took Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 13 overall pick.
Of course, Bowers can be used as more than just an in-line tight end after he was utilized in the slot often in college, and the Raiders will surely have both on the field at the same time at times in two tight end sets.
However, there's no question that Bowers could cut into Mayer's snaps if the rookie is ready to handle a full workload in Year 1.
Winner: RT Thayer Munford Jr.
Munford was the favorite to land the right tackle job going into the 2024 NFL Draft, and that remains the case after it.
Las Vegas took Maryland offensive tackle Delmar Glaze in the third round, but it's hard to imagine him being ready to start by Week 1, if at all in Year 1. Had the Raiders taken a tackle earlier, Munford's outlook would have been a lot worse.
Loser: G Cody Whitehair
Upon signing with the Raiders before the draft, we had Whitehair penciled in for a starting job at one of the guard spots. However, that was with the understanding that things could change if the Raiders drafted a guard, which they did in Oregon's Jackson Powers-Johnson.
While there is still a competition set to take place and there's no telling how quickly JPJ will acclimate to the NFL, Whitehair's chances of grabbing a starting role just decreased.
Winner: RBs Zamir White, Alexander Mattison
Once Josh Jacobs left for the Green Bay Packers in free agency, that paved the way for Zamir White to be the starting running back for Las Vegas. The Raiders also added Alexander Mattison in free agency to bolster the group.
But there was still a threat to White going into the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Raiders taking a running back couldn't be ruled out given White's lack of experience. However, Las Vegas didn't draft one until the sixth round, when they took Dylan Laube out of New Hampshire, who shouldn't be a threat to either White or Mattison in 2024.
