I believe in John Spytek. What a great draft he had for his first as a General Manager of the Raiders. Let’s dive into it and grade the picks!

Ashton Jeanty: Round 1, 6th Overall

This was as slam dunk of a pick as you’ll see. The Raiders simply addressed their biggest need, while also taking the best player available for that need. The Raiders run game was completely inept last season and they struggled mightily to muster up any form of rushing.

The Raiders were dead last in rushing yards and dead last in average rushing yards. Nobody could muster up anything on the ground, but now they have their cowbell back.

Jeanty is very Marshawn Lynch esque. He is a bigger back, and has the ability to bounce off defenders and extend the play. He’s quick and is a high impact runner. The Raiders found their guy and he should be an instant hit for this offense.

Grade: A+

Jack Bech: Round 2, 58th Overall

This was a very smart pick for the Raiders. When you look at their wide receiver room, it’s quite thin. Jakobi Meyers is the only true outside threat and the team needs way more than that. Now, the Raiders have that and it’s huge for filling out the offense.

Bech popped off for a career year at TCU. He finished the season with 1,034 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He is a safe bet, especially with what was already taken off the board.

One thing is for sure is that when the ball is thrown his way, he’s going to catch it. Bech had the second lowest drop rate of anyone in college football from 2022-24. He had ONE drop last season.

Geno Smith got himself a new weapon and it’s a great add.

Grade: B+

Darien Porter: Round 3, 68th Overall

The Raiders are getting a great player at the position. This was a team that loved its corners going into the draft, but what a way to boost the position. He is being tabbed as a “Pete Carroll” type of cornerback. He has the speed, length, and he brings that physical element to the field. Its traits he looks for, as evidenced by his former secondary “the Legion of Doom”.

He is primarily a zone coverage corner, but has the speed and athleticism to excel in man coverage. The Raiders had a top ten defense in 2023 and finished inside the top 15 in 2024.

This is a great add, especially after losing Nate Hobbs and also parting ways with Jones.

Grade: B+

Caleb Rogers: Round 3, 98th Overall

You can never have too much depth on the offensive line. He was a two time all big 12 selection and started 55 games for Texas Tech. Given the Raiders outlook from an OL perspective, this is a nice add to beef things up in the trenches. The Raiders also selected offensive Tackle Charles Grant with their next pick, so depth is clearly needed for this unit.

Grade: B

Donte Thornton: Round 4, 108th Overall

I am not going to say it’s a steal, but the Raiders got good value with this pick. Thornton is coming off a breakout season with Tennessee, and saw him have the highest yards per catch across the entire nation.

He is a fast receiver, notching a 4.30 40 yard dash time. Thornton himself said, “we have the potential to be an explosive offense” and I certainly couldn’t agree more.

Grade: B-

Tonka Hemingway: Round 4, 135th Overall

Good depth for the trenches. Hemingway was a good standout player for the Gamecocks. He accumulated 17.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks over his college career. He now joins Christian Wilkins and Wilson for the defensive tackle group. It’s a huge add and another good value pick for the Raiders.

Grade: C+