Raiders 2024 NFL Mock Draft: Roundup of B/R Staff, Kiper and Expert Picks

The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the most interesting teams of the 2024 NFL draft. With the 13th pick and a need at quarterback, they are one of the wildcards who could really shake up the event.

Will they trade up for a quarterback? Are they looking to take one in the second round? Could they have a surprise pick in store at No. 13?

These are the questions that mock drafters have to answer for the Raiders. With one of the most impassioned fanbases in the league, there are plenty of opinions about what they should do.

Here, we'll take a look at what mock drafts around the internet are saying about the Raiders draft plans. We'll feature the three-round mock draft put together by the Bleacher Report Scouting Department which is based on what they would do for each team, an ESPN mock draft put together by Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates alternating picks and a few others.

B/R Scouting Department: OT JC Latham, Alabama

Mel Kiper and Field Yates, ESPN: CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo (Kiper)

Brendan Donahue, Sharp Football Analysis: CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: OT JC Latham, Alabama

This is a sampling of four different mock drafts each with their own unique voices and methodologies. It's notable that none of them have the Raiders making a move for a quarterback in the first round.

It's certainly possible that they get aggressive and make a move up the board for one. It's also possible that they wind up taking Michael Penix Jr. or Bo Nix with the 13th overall selection.

Instead, the B/R scouting department tabbed JC Latham as the selection. He would be a definitive answer at right tackle. Regardless of who is playing quarterback next season, the Tide tackle would make life easier for them and clear running lanes.

Chad Reuter agrees with the Latham selection in his mock.

Kiper, who teamed up with fellow ESPN analyst Field Yates for a mock draft, sees the Raiders going with Quinyon Mitchell to reinforce their secondary noting that Mitchell is his top-ranked cornerback in the class.

Brendan Donahue only offer a one round mock draft, but he is the most accurate mock drafter over the last five years, per Huddle Report. He also sees the Silver and Black targeting a new cornerback, but opts for Terrion Arnold. He brings up the fact that head coach Antonio Pierce has met with Arnold twice already.

B/R Scouting Department: QB Bo Nix, Oregon (projected trade up to No. 34)

Mel Kiper and Field Yates, ESPN: iOL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon (Yates)

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington (projected trade up to No. 33)

Looking at the mocks, it would appear there's some consensus that the second round is where the Raiders might make a move for a quarterback.

The Bleacher Report mock draft, which was based on what our scouting department would do, sees them trade up from the 44th slot to No. 34. The hypothetical trade cost them the 44th, 112th and 148th picks and they used the pick to draft Oregon's Bo Nix.

The Oregon quarterback is No. 62 overall on our big board so this wouldn't be too big of a reach at the position by those standards. His accuracy and functional mobility stand out as strengths that could be developed by new Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

Reuter is once again closely aligned with B/R's prediction. He has them making a move up to No. 33 for Michael Penix Jr. He projects the Raiders will give up their second-, fourth- and fifth-round picks to move up their board and take Penix.

He has Nix off the board at No. 23 to the Minnesota Vikings.

Yates goes an interesting direction with the second-round pick in the ESPN mock. He projects the Raiders to pass on a quarterback entirely. Both Penix (33rd) and Nix (38th) are off the board by the time they get on the clock.

Jackson Powers-Johnson would be an exciting addition to the offensive line. He's the best center in the draft and the Raiders would be getting an upgrade. However, the biggest lesson here might be that the Raiders will have to trade up to get their quarterback if they pass on one early.

B/R Scouting Department: CB Max Melton, Rutgers

Mel Kiper and Field Yates, ESPN: RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee (Kiper)

Chad Reuter, NFL.com: CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn

Two of the three mocks had the Raiders making a trade in the second round, but they all have them hanging on to the 77th pick in the third round.

With the quarterback on the roster, the Raiders shift their focus to defense in both the B/R mock draft as well as Reuter's exercise. Once again, the only difference is which prospect they will target.

B/R predicts Max Melton. He's a bit undersized at 5'11", 187 pounds, but he makes up for it with elite athleticism. He posted a 4.39 40 and a 40.5" vertical in his athletic testing. He would be a dart throw at the position after drafting Jakorian Bennett last offseason.

Pritchett has similar straight line speed. He posted a 4.36 40, but his three cone of 7.09 was slow for his size and position and he wasn't nearly as explosive with a 34.5" vertical.

The interesting selection from the ESPN duo is Jaylen Wright. In this scenario, the Raiders would essentially be putting the quarterback position on the backburner. Signing Gardner Minshew II technically allows them to do that but it would be a hard sell to the fanbase.

Wright has been a riser throughout the pre-draft process. He lit up the combine with a 9.82 relative athletic score that included a 4.38 40 and 11'2" broad jump at 5'10", 210 pounds.