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What They're Saying: Media weighs in on Raiders draft

The Raiders added eight players through the draft:

TE Brock Bowers

G Jackson Powers-Johnson

T DJ Glaze

CB Decamerion Richardson

LB Tommy Eichenberg

RB Dylan Laube

S Trey Taylor

CB M.J. Devonshire

See how the experts believe the Silver and Black's class stacks up.

Grade: A-

Analysis: "GM Tom Telesco got another opportunity to run a draft and did not squander it. Bowers fell into their lap, and everyone thought Powers-Johnson would be a first-round pick. Glaze is a smooth athlete who can stay at tackle, and Richardson is a long plus athlete, which is precisely what this defense desperately needs to add. Eichenberg already plays like he's a five-year veteran, and, vitally, makes plays in coverage with good regularity.

"Laube will outplay his draft position because of his receiving talent and deceptive side-to-side juking skill. Taylor and Devonshire have the athleticism to outplay their respective draft positions."

Grade: 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."

Grade: B+

Analysis: "With the top six quarterbacks off the board, the Raiders go with a 'best player available' approach despite taking tight end Michael Mayer in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Bowers is a versatile offensive weapon and should be an immediate impact player thanks to what he can do with the ball in his hands. Bowers' 689 receiving yards after contact during his college career at Georgia are more than any other tight end since PFF began charting college football in 2014."

Grade: B+

Analysis: "The Raiders deserve a ton of credit for not reaching on a quarterback and instead selecting a tight end with perennial All-Pro potential. Las Vegas also did a fine job of finding value throughout the draft, addressing some needs and setting itself up to make incremental progress in 2024."

Grade: B

Analysis: "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."

Grade: B

Analysis: "The Raiders got a couple of impact players on offense, even if the fit isn't immediately clear. Brock Bowers has superstar potential in the NFL. Figuring out how he'll mesh with Michael Mayer and where their skills can be used simultaneously will be an interesting challenge for the Raiders' coaching staff. Jackson Powers-Johnson should be a good fixture on the offensive line for the next few years and Delmar Glaze may wind up being a starter too. Solid first Raiders draft for general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce. Now it's time to figure out how the pieces fit together."

Grade: 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."

Grade: B-

Analysis: "The Raiders landed one of my favorite players in this entire draft in tight end Brock Bowers, nabbing my third-ranked prospect at no. 13. Bowers doesn't solve the team's quarterback problem, of course, but he does help the team's two bridge QB options in Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell (one of whom now appears a lock to start for the team in 2024) as a yards-after-the-catch creator and chains-mover in the passing game. The selection of interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson should help the team's offense as well. He's a mauler and tone-setter at guard or center. Las Vegas added depth to their roster in the form of tackle Delmar Glaze, corner Decamerion Richardson, and linebacker Tommy Eichenberg. And it's going to be worth watching sixth-round running back Dylan Laube, who could bring some electricity to the offense as a pass-catching mismatch creator out of the backfield."

Grade: B-

Analysis: "Brock Bowers was far and away the draft's best tight end, and second-rounder Jackson Powers-Johnson can be an immediate starter on the interior offensive line. The Raiders didn't take a QB, but small-school running back Dylan Laube could be a steal."

Grade: n/a

Analysis: "When doing my final mock draft, I didn't give much thought to the Raiders drafting Bowers at No. 13 — but it makes sense, as Las Vegas wisely stuck to the "best player available" approach. Even though the Raiders have a solid tight end depth chart, Bowers also will spend time as a part-time slot receiver. He should quickly become the No. 2 pass-catching option in this offense, behind Davante Adams."

Head inside OMNIA Nightclub for a look at the Las Vegas Raiders 2024 Draft Party.

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