Two of the biggest needs the Las Vegas Raiders have to address moving forward are at cornerback and offensive tackle, and one draft analyst believes a player from each of those positions are ideal picks for the team in the first two rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft.
According to Chad Reuter of NFL.com, landing Oregon State tackle Taliese Fuaga and Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. would be an ideal start to the Raiders' 2024 draft. Here's why:
I'm not projecting trades in this exercise, so the Raiders miss out on the top passers. Fuaga becomes the ideal pick in a less-than-ideal situation, with right tackle Jermaine Eluemenor signing with the Giants this offseason. Fuaga could line up at guard or tackle, depending upon the team's plan for 2022 seventh-rounder Thayer Munford Jr. Since there are no quarterbacks of value in Round 2, the Raiders pick up a physical cover corner in Rakestraw to improve a thin outside group.
The Raiders would likely be happier to come away with a franchise quarterback over the first two days of the draft. If that doesn't come to fruition, a combination of Fuaga and Rakestraw Jr. would be a pretty good second option.
As Reuter notes, the departure of Eluemunor leaves Las Vegas with a hole on the right side that the team doesn't have an answer for currently. Fuaga would immediately fill the void at right tackle, leaving the Raiders with just one more hole to fill upfront (right guard).
Rakestraw Jr. could theoretically address another big need, as the Raiders have to find a starting solution opposite Jack Jones. However, the Missouri product may not be ready to step into that role in his first season.
Assuming a quarterback isn't in the cards in Round 1, the Raiders will have a tough decision to make with the No. 13 pick.
As much as they need a tackle, the idea of landing one of the top-two cornerbacks in this year's class — Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell or Alabama's Terrion Arnold — could be too enticing to pass up, especially when you consider how deep the tackle position is.
