The Las Vegas Raiders completed their 2024 NFL Draft on Saturday evening when they made a pair of picks in the seventh round, giving the team a total of eight new players when the three-day event was all said and done.
Las Vegas did not get aggressive by trading up at any point in the draft, nor did they trade back. Here's a look at who they came away with in total:
Raiders' 2024 NFL Draft class: TE Brock Bowers, G Jackson Powers-Johnson, OT Delmar Glaze, CB Decamerion Richardson, LB Tommy Eichenberg, RB Dylan Laube, S Trey Taylor, CB M.J. Devonshire
With general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce's first draft together in the books, let's take a look at how experts viewed the entire class.
Expert grades for Raiders' draft class
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: D
Analysis: The Raiders' draft, from a talent perspective, was fine early. Bowers was worthy of their first-round pick, but it was a bit of a luxury reach with much bigger needs at other positions. Powers-Johnson easily was their best pick, whether he starts at center or right guard. But it cannot be ignored that the Raiders were disinterested in chasing QB or wide receiver at any point in a strong class for both early. Tom Telesco's initial class also pales badly to everyone else in the division.
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: B
New GM Tom Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce, who led the team to a 5-4 finish after taking over as the interim coach, brought in Gardner Minshew to compete with Aidan O'Connell at quarterback, which meant the Raiders were never a lock to take a QB in Round 1. The fact is six quarterbacks were taken ahead of their pick at No. 13, so we never even got to have a conversation about their QB need on the broadcast. I wouldn't have been in favor of trading up for Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix, so I don't mind that Telesco and Pierce stood pat. Still, we might be back in 2025 having this same conversation if Las Vegas struggles and ends up with a high selection.
So what did the Raiders do instead? They took an "offensive entity" in Brock Bowers (13), who will be a nice complement to Michael Mayer at tight end. I have him No. 7 overall in my rankings, and he's going to make plays for whoever is taking snaps under center. You can question whether the Raiders should have targeted a cornerback instead, but Bowers is a great prospect, so I'm not going to downgrade their choice. Jackson Powers-Johnson (44) should be an immediate starter at guard. I wasn't as high on him as a lot of other people -- I didn't think he should be a first-rounder -- but this is a good spot for him.
Telesco reached for offensive tackle Delmar Glaze (77) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (112), trying to fill needs. Sure, the tackles went early on Day 2, but I don't know if Glaze can be a starter in the NFL. I like Tommy Eichenberg (148) as a two-down linebacker who will light up players on special teams. Dylan Laube (208) is the best pass-catching running back in this class; he caught 68 passes for 699 yards and seven scores at New Hampshire last season. He doesn't have great straight-line speed, but he's quick. I'd love to see him make this roster.
The Raiders didn't get their quarterback of the future in this class, but they also didn't panic and mortgage their future to reach for one who didn't have a first-round grade. Bowers' career will be fun to watch, and Powers-Johnson should be a longtime starter.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com: B-
Analysis: Bowers was too strong a value to ignore and will be a nice third-down and red-zone option for whomever is quarterbacking the squad over the next decade. Powers-Johnson was also a good find in the mid-second at a position of need. Glaze will need to show he was picked at the right time by eventually earning a starting spot.
Richardson is exactly the kind of NFL-sized, physical corner the Raiders required. Eichenberg will be a reliable inside player for many years. Laube was a nice pick in the sixth round who will get carries off the bench and be a special teams ace. No quarterback was selected to enter the competition between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew, so that position should be their top priority in rookie free agency.
Nate Davis, USA TODAY: B-
A team that openly coveted a quarterback – or, at least, new HC Antonio Pierce did – had been frozen out of the market entirely by the time the 13th pick rolled around Thursday night. Maybe they miscalculated, maybe first-year GM Tom Telesco played it conservatively as he tended to do with the Chargers. Regardless, the Silver and Black regrouped to get Bowers in Round 1 and Oregon OL Jackson Powers-Johnson in Round 2, both plug-and-play starters and likely impact players.
Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated: A-
Analysis: The Raiders and their fans should be thrilled. Without trading up, Las Vegas was able to select Bowers, who was easily the best tight end in this class. Then, on Day 2, GM Tom Telesco found a pair of starting-caliber offensive linemen in Powers-Johnson and Glaze, with the former ranking as the class’s best center.
