2022 NFL DRAFT DEEP DIVE: LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
By Simon Carroll
The NFL Draft is over, and we cannot head into the three-month abyss that is the offseason without looking at what all 262 selections mean for each franchise. Whilst too early to judge just how successful a draft class each team’s was, we can look at how rookies fit within schemes, where they stand on depth charts, and who we can expect to make an impact in 2022. We continue our team by team series with the Las Vegas Raiders:
Draft Haul
| RND | PICK | PROSPECT | POS | SCHOOL |
| 3 | 90 | Dylan Parham | IOL | Memphis |
| 4 | 122 | Zamir White | RB | Georgia |
| 4 | 126 | Neil Farrell | IDL | LSU |
| 5 | 175 | Matthew Butler | IDL | Tennessee |
| 7 | 238 | Thayer Munford | OT | Ohio State |
| 7 | 250 | Brittain Brown | RB | UCLA |
Day One
The Raiders entered draft weekend short of early draft capital after making the blockbuster trade for Davante Adams. We can debate the cost-benefit analysis of acquiring a proven NFL superstar against the monster five year, $140m contract they sent his way, but there is certainly no doubt that Adams upgrades this passing game immeasurably. Considering this franchise’s chequered history in trying to find a true elite receiver during the Mike Mayock era – from Antonio Brown to Henry Ruggs – The Raiders will be confident their massive outlay won’t bring any further unwanted drama to their doorstep as they attempt to put down roots in Las Vegas.
Adams immediately boosts this passing game, led by the often under-appreciated Derek Carr – who despite numerous regime changes, has always been deemed too good to move on from. Whether Dave Ziegler & Josh McDaniels would have found greater value in drafting one of the elite receivers in the first round and using their second rounder elsewhere, only time will tell. But in the arms race that is the AFC West, The Raiders were determined not to bring a knife to a gun fight.
Day Two
With the second round pick also heading to Green Bay for Adams’ services, the Raiders had to wait until late on day two to finally get on the board. After dropping back four spots and acquiring a fifth rounder from Tennessee, Ziegler opted to strengthen his offensive line with the addition of Memphis’ Dylan Parham. Enjoying some pre-draft buzz, Parham possesses excellent athleticism and positional versatility, having aligned as a tackle and on the interior for the Tigers. Slightly undersized, Prahm’s competitiveness often compensated for any shortcoming in play strength as he became one of the AAC’s best offensive linemen during his collegiate career.
Parham is quite raw, only converting to offensive line from tight end when he arrived in Memphis. Whilst unlikely to secure a starting role in 2022, Parham’s versatility will be invaluable as he offers backup capability at all five spots – and with his quicks and intelligence, could potentially be the future at center for this offense in the years to come.
Day Three
With only six selections in total, it was imperative for The Raiders to try and fill as many holes as possible, with little wiggle room for any luxury picks. Because of this, it may be hard for many of their fans to comprehend the reasoning behind taking two running backs on day three, particularly when they have 2019 first rounder Josh Jacobs as the starter, as well as Kenyan Drake as backup. Zamir White and Brittain Brown enter a crowded backfield, and it is difficult to see them both making the roster, unless Ziegler and the new front office are preparing to make some serious changes at the position.
Throughout John Gruden’s tenure the disgraced head coach often berated the lack of quality on the interior of the defensive line, and perhaps the new regime concurred; The Raiders selected back to back defensive tackles at 126 and 175, first with run stuffer Neil Farrell, followed by the more explosive Matthew Butler. Butler may have the more obvious path to playing time, potentially challenging his namesake Vernon Butler for a role as a five-tech in the Raiders three-man front. Thayer Munford finished off this draft haul, the former Ohio State tackle a further reinforcement to Derek Carr’s protection as they look to get younger on the offensive line.
One To Watch: Matthew Butler
One of my sleepers in this draft class, Matthew Butler had absolutely no right being on the board when the Raiders were back on the clock in the fifth round. The former Volunteer is exceptionally quick off the snap and has a nose for the backfield, demonstrating his ability to affect the QB from the interior in college football’s most competitive conference. His non-stop motor challenges offensive linemen to bottle him up for sixty minutes, something they invariably fail to do.
Matthew Butler was drafted with pick 175 of round 5 in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 7.29 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 397 out of 1459 DT from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/2hZ1w4HcVN #RAS #Raiders pic.twitter.com/jfDmJyAeW2
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 30, 2022
Butler is an intriguing blend of explosion and technique, using his heavy hands to soften edges and sneak through gaps. He also proves remarkably stout against double teams despite his slender lower half, and proved himself a capable three down lineman at Tennessee. If he can find his way to snaps in the Raiders’ base 3-4 defense, expect him to kick inside in their subpackage on third downs where he can pin his ears back and get into the backfield.
UDFA Tracker
| Zach VanVaulkenburg | EDGE | Iowa |
| Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa | IDL | Notre Dame |
| Sam Webb | CB | Missouri Western |
| Chase Garbers | QB | California |
| Qwynterrio Cole | S | Louisville |
| Darien Butler | LB | Arizona State |
| Tre Turner | WR | Virginia Tech |
| Cole Fotheringham | TE | Utah |
| Bryce Cosby | S | Ball State |
| Luke Masterson | LB | Wake Forest |
Despite me being compelled to dislike the Raiders as a Chargers fan, this franchise gets plenty of brownie points from me for picking up three guys as UDFA’s that I had the pleasure of interviewing ahead of the draft. Signing ten free agents in total, Las Vegas brought in plenty of names I like throughout the process, including Darien Butler, the undersized ASU linebacker who plays six inches taller and thirty pounds heavier. Do not be surprised to see him make the roster as a special teams contributor.
Luke Masterson also falls into that category. The former Wake Forest LB has played almost every position you can think of, including PUNTER, and has excelled at each role. He was named defensive MVP at the Hula Bowl and brings a high football IQ that will serve him well as he attempts to stick through training camp. Also an honourable mention to former Ball State safety Bryce Cosby, who was an absolute playmaker at Muncie. His lack of exposure in the draft process was criminal, and I would not be surprised to see him in the famous Black & Silver come September.
Conclusion
Considering the high levels of drama this franchise has endured the past few years, it was amazing the Raiders managed to sneak into the playoffs last season. That tells us that this roster is far from devoid of talent despite some dubious draft classes under the previous regime, and with that in mind they should not be discounted in the ultra-competitive AFC West.
That being said, McDaniels has a job on his hands to match that achievement in 2022. Going all in on Davante Adams is a bold move that is very much in the style of The Raiders, and their passing game has no excuses for not taking a step up in production. But have they determined Josh Jacobs to be the latest first round pick of Mike Mayock to be surplus to requirements? If not, it’s hard to justify the selection of two ball carriers considering the lack of picks, not to mention finding a rusher to play opposite Maxx Crosby – a position a lot of Raiders fans would have liked to see addressed.
The work Ziegler and co. did after the draft suggests they weren’t happy with the strength in depth of their secondary, and it will be interesting to see if any of the four UDFA’s they signed stick. Considering the QB’s they will face in their division, this franchise will hope that the positions they failed to strengthen on draft weekend prove up to the task as they look to play postseason football once again.