The 2025 NFL Draft marked a pivotal point for head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek, providing a clear indication of their long-term vision of the Raiders.
Some things were pretty clear from the start, such as the selection of running back Ashton Jeanty was indicative of Carroll’s desire to build a strong run game in Las Vegas as he had at his previous stops. However, while those inferences were proven true, there was still plenty about the new regime that remained completely unknown. With the draft, however, there is now more that can be understood about how they operate.
With that in mind, here are some observations that can be made with a quick glance of the draft class.
A renewed focus on athleticism
The late Al Davis made it a point to focus on athletic traits in the draft, and that same emphasis has bled into the new iteration of the Raiders.
In terms of overall athleticism, the Raiders tied with the Chargers for the most players who scored elite Relative Athletic Scores, with seven posting a score of at least eight out of ten. Six had a score of nine out of ten, with third-round cornerback Darien Porter (9.9) and fourth-round receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. (9.85) posting some of the top athletic scores in the entire class. During a post-draft press conference, Raiders director of college scouting Brandon Yeargan said that owner Mark Davis immediately noted Thornton as a player who would have caught the eye of his father.
“Mark joked that was the Al Davis pick of this draft, the height, weight, speed, raw traits, athleticism, speed,” Yeargan said.
While elite athleticism is not a guarantee for NFL success, having a coach like Carroll to get the best out of his players is sure to be a boost for their development moving forward.
Depth is key
Something that stood out almost immediately with the Raiders draft is how they did not just target specific needs, but were almost overly aggressive in doing so.
Among the 11 players drafted by the Raiders, four positions were targeted multiple times. Among these positions were wide receiver (second-round pick Jack Bech and Thornton), offensive line (third-round picks Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant) and defensive tackle (fourth-round pick Tonka Hemingway and sixth-round pick JJ Pegues). Quarterback can also be considered as another position with multiple picks (sixth-round picks Tommy Mellott and Cam Miller), and Mellott’s expected transition to receiver means he becomes the third rookie in that group.
Depth was tested for the Raiders due to a wave of injuries in 2024, and the new regime was proactive to ensure the same problems do not reemerge for a second consecutive year.
Influence from braintrust
Looking at the draft class, every major decision maker the Raiders have in their front office had a hand in the picks made by the team.
Carroll’s emphasis on a strong ground game made Jeanty an easy choice at number six, while Spytek’s time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers pushed him to bolster the offensive line with Rogers and Grant. It was not just the head coach and general manager who had their influence felt however, as minority owner Tom Brady might have seen Mellott as a new version of longtime teammate Julian Edelman. Even Mark Davis had some presence, with the heavy focus on athleticism being prevalent throughout the draft (particularly with Porter and Thornton).
The draft class shows just how connected the organization is, hopefully setting a strong foundation for long-term success.
