New offensive coordinator Chip Kelly was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, and the move changes how the Raiders will proceed with the upcoming draft.
Kelly recently helped the Ohio State Buckeyes win the national championship, drawing eyes to the program and its amazing players.
While some prospects like star freshman receiver Jeremiah Smith still have some time before they are eligible to declare for the draft, others will be available in April.
The Raiders currently hold the sixth overall pick in the draft, as well as all of their original picks and the New York Jets’ third-round pick due to the Davante Adams trade in October. The team is also expected to get two compensatory draft selections, with both projected to be in the sixth round.
Some prospects such as offensive tackle Josh Simmons and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka might be out of that range, but Ohio State offers plenty of intriguing talent for the Raiders to reunite with Kelly.
Here are four players that could join Kelly on the trek out west to Las Vegas:
Will Howard, QB
The Raiders’ need for a franchise quarterback is well-documented, so Ohio State’s field general is naturally going to get looked at first.
Sure, Howard is not someone who will immediately jump off the page at first glance. He is an older prospect (turning 24 in September), and he is more of a traditional pocket passer than a dynamic athlete under center.
What Howard does offer, however, is that he is far more polished than some of his contemporaries. Starring at Kansas State from 2020-23 before transferring to Ohio State, Howard comes into the NFL with 44 career starts under his belt.
At Ohio State, he showcased incredible touch on the ball and accuracy, thriving with his ball placement while limiting mistakes. While having game-breaking talent around him helped, Howard was able to make the difficult throws consistently.
He proved that point perfectly during Ohio State’s championship run, where he came up clutch time and time again to lead the offense to the end zone.
That performance, as well as the general consensus of a weak quarterback crop this year, pushed Howard up draft boards. NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah even went as far as to call Howard a top-50 pick on The Pat McAfee Show.
“I’m excited to dig in further on Will Howard..
I have him as a top 50 pick right now but I have to go thru some more of his tape” @MoveTheSticks #PMSLive https://t.co/KsE5Ti5CmL pic.twitter.com/B0Bx5PFoOI
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 23, 2025
While the top 50 picks might be somewhat rich for Howard, he offers a high floor as a Day 2 selection. The Raiders could pair him with a veteran free agent, giving Howard a chance to acclimate to the speed of the NFL game.
Quinshon Judkins/TreVeyon Henderson, RBs
Ohio State fielded a pair of 1,000-yard rushers this season in Judkins and Henderson, which is music to the ears of the team with the worst rushing offense in the NFL last season.
With Judkins transferring from Ole Miss, the Buckeyes had a reliable running back duo that complemented one another perfectly. Judkins served as the open-field hammer back, while Henderson was the electric big-play threat.
Both will have questions to answer when it comes to their evaluations; Judkins about his flaws in the receiving game and pass protection, and Henderson about the foot injuries that derailed his 2022 and 2023 seasons.
That said, both Judkins and Henderson are explosive playmakers out of the backfield, which the Raiders sorely lacked last year. Those who admire physicality will fall in love with Judkins, while others looking for explosiveness will gravitate more towards Henderson.
The Raiders cannot go wrong either way, and both make sense for the team on Day 2.
Donovan Jackson, OL
Jackson is living proof that flash and flair are not necessary for a high-level prospect.
It is not hyperbole to say that Jackson is the unsung hero of the Buckeyes’ season. After season-ending injuries to Simmons and center Seth McLaughlin, Jackson was tasked with moving to left tackle.
His first game was far from perfect, giving up two sacks to a likely top-three pick in Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter. In the remaining eight games, however, Jackson was dominant on the offensive line by only allowing one sack the rest of the way.
He was also responsible for opening up running lanes for Judkins and Henderson, directly helping both reach the 1,000-yard milestone.
Jackson was widely considered a Day 2 prospect in this draft, logging 2,000 career snaps at left guard. His outstanding performance at left tackle, however, has opened some eyes and pushed him up boards, going as high as the late first round.
Oddly enough, the left side of the offensive line is where the Raiders need some help. Left guard is the only uncertain spot on the line, while left tackle Kolton Miller’s contract expires after the 2025 season.
If the Raiders draft Jackson in the second round, he is a plug-and-play solution at left guard in his rookie season, with the possibility of shifting over to left tackle if he impresses.
