Raiders mock draft 2025: Mason Graham landing in Las Vegas’ lap would be fantastic

Defensive-heavy 7-round excursion addresses several areas of opportunities

We’re just a month out from the 2025 NFL Draft. And that’s the golden opportunity for both general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll to further build the Las Vegas Raiders to their liking.

With nine selections, including the sixth-overall pick, the Silver & Black can add a group of young prospects to bolster the Year 1 roster under the new regime.

Thus, Version 3.0 of the mock draft, and a seven-round edition at that.

The top 5 went: Cameron Ward (quarterback Miami) to the Tennessee Titans; Abdul Carter (edge, Penn State) to the Cleveland Browns, Shedur Sanders (quarterback Colorado) to the New York Giants; Travis Hunter (cornerback , Colorado) to the New England Patriots and Tetairoa McMillan (wide receiver, Arizona) to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Which left me with…

Round 1

No. 6 overall: Mason Graham, Defensive Tackle, Michigan

Adding this 6-foot-3, 296-pound Wolverine to the mix gives the Raiders an opportunity to showcase a truly elite defensive front. With similar effort and relentlessness to defensive end Maxx Crosby and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Graham’s explosive first step makes him an ideal interior disruptor.

He’ll have to show he can hang with NFL power and quickness, but Graham’s non-stop motor would give defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and defensive line coach Rob Leonard the ability to create chaotic mismatches along the front.

Round 2

No. 37 overall: Carson Schwesinger, Linebacker, UCLA

Las Vegas has a need for a three-down linebacker and this 6-foot-2, 242-pound Bruin fits that mold and can either be the green-dot middle linebacker or an outside linebacker. Schwesinger went from special teams maven to rabid tackling machine in 2024 showcasing his football IQ, read and react ability, and athleticism with 136 total tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, and three pass deflections.

While he may get washed out by lead blockers, that can be coached up but Schwesinger’s ability to hang in coverage is a plus mark for a Raiders team lacking that kind of skillset at the linebacker position.

Round 3

No. 68 overall: TreVeyon Henderson, Running Back, Ohio State

I’m a firm believer in Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly pounding the table for one of his Buckeye tailbacks and Las Vegas lands one in Henderson. A productive ball carrier and pass catcher, Henderson can also pass protect which will is key for any running back to be a three-down option.

With the agility and speed to torch defenders outside and the toughness and vision to gallop in between the tackles, Henderson is is well-built at 5-foot-10 and 202 pounds and his well-versed in what Kelly wants to do offensively.

Round 4

No. 108 overall: Cobee Bryant, Cornerback, Kansas

A zone cornerback who can read both the receiver and the quarterback and react quickly to the ball, this Jayhawks defender has 13-career interceptions over his four years in Kansas. He’s a definition of a ballhawk as he always seek the ball and tries to take it away.

Sleight of build at 6-feet and 180 pounds, Bryant does possess the arm length (31 ¹⁄₄ inches) Carroll prefers from his corners and often has his eyes on the ball in flight (35 career passes defensed). Interestingly enough, Byrant’s pro comparison is current Raiders cornerback Jack Jones.

Round 5

No. 143 overall: Dillon Gabriel, Quarterback, Oregon

If there’s an NFL coach that doesn’t mind “short” quarterbacks, it’s Carroll. Gabriel is a well-traveled prospect who shined for the Ducks in 2024 and Oklahoma and UCF before that. He’s older than most prospects at 24, however, that age brings a wealth of experience.

Gabriel doesn’t possess a Howitzer cannon of an arm, but his smart, takes care of the football, and plays within the confines of an offense. He’s a good developmental type that can grow under Carroll and Kelly.

Round 6

No. 180 overall: Nick Nash, Wide Receiver, San Jose State

Las Vegas in need of a polish route-runner to man the slot receiver roll and this Spartan has that skillset to become a beloved target for quarterback Geno Smith. With good size at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, Nash is a competitive pass catcher who fights for the football in flight.

An older prospect who will be 25 in August, Nash hauled in 1014 passes for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2024 and with more coaching, can become an even more refined route runner. He’s also a former quarterback that can fire dimes on gadget plays too (like current Raiders wideout Jakobi Meyers).

No. 213 overall: Rayuan Lane III, Safety, Navy

The Raiders need help on special teams and this Midshipman showcased elite gunner skills on coverage units at Navy. Tom McMahon’s special teams group in Las Vegas needs a smart, instinctive, and active prospect on coverage units.

While compactly built at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Lane does have the read and react skills to be a takeaway zone safety (seven career interceptions; career-high four in 2023). He’ll need to work on form and open-field tackling, but he’s a readymade special teams standout from the get.

No. 215 overall: Tyler Batty, Edge, BYU

A rocked-up 6-foot-6 and 271-pound Cougar, Batty has the edge discipline to be a run-stopping force at defensive end for the Raiders. While quarterback hunting is often the most-sought aspect from the edge, having a defensive end that can contain the edge with long arms and quickness is vital, too.

An effort player who is strong, but will be older at 25, the tail end of the sixth round is a good spot to take Batty.

Round 7

No. 222 overall: Dalton Cooper, Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma State

The Raiders lack depth behind left tackle Kolton Miller and this 6-foot-7, 315-pounder comes with plenty of blindside experience to develop. Able to use his length and quick feet, Cooper is a technician of a lineman.

He’ll need to gain more core strength to contend with NFL power rushers and he must develop counters to speed rushers, but with Miller there to show him the ropes, Cooper would be a nice late-round add. He excels in a gap scheme as a run blocker and that’s what Kelly is slated to deploy in Las Vegas.