In a matter of hours, the Las Vegas Raiders will make their intentions on the future of their franchise plain.
With the sixth overall pick in the draft, the Raiders have the opportunity to make a statement about which way the team is going. New head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek will begin laying down the groundwork for their long-term vision of the franchise. All that is left is to find out who is going to be the centerpiece of this retooling effort.
According to information popping up less than 24 hours before draft day, the options for the Raiders are still wide open.
The Raider have three realistic routes they can choose to go down during the draft.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Raiders are still focusing heavily on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, but a clear contingency plan is forming in the event Jeanty goes before the sixth pick.
“The Raiders, led by first-time general manager John Spytek, spent substantial time doing homework on Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, but strong cases are being made in their draft room to go offensive line instead,” wrote Russini.
Assuming the New England Patriots draft an offensive lineman fourth overall, the Raiders will have their choice of two of LSU’s Will Campbell, Missouri’s Armand Membou and Texas’s Kelvin Banks.
With Campbell taking a top-30 visit with New England and widely being considered the top offensive lineman available, it is likely the Patriots draft him at four. That leaves Membou and Banks potentially for the Raiders at 6. Membou offers a higher athletic ceiling and has the tools to dominate, while Banks offers better versatility and could fit better in the offense Carroll wants to run.
Russini also entertains the idea of a trade up for the Raiders but, unless the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants are not interested in blue-chip prospects like Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter or Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, it is unlikely either team moves off of their picks.
The Raiders’ draft pick appears to be a three-horse race now, and it will come down to the wire on who gets selected.
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