Raiders NFL Draft: Spillane, Deablo replacement options

Finding some potential starting linebackers on Days 2 and 3 of the draft

Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders’ biggest need on defense is at linebacker. Last season’s starters Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo left in free agency, meaning the Raiders will have two new first-stringers on the second level of the defense this fall.

While Elandon Roberts could fill one of those voids, the soon-to-be 31-year-old is only on a one-year contract. And Devin White is more of a depth piece after making just one start last season. Also, relying on Amari Burney or any of the other young backers to step up and become the other starter without at least bringing in more competition wouldn’t be a good idea.

Of course, first-round prospects Jalon Walker from Georgia and Jihaad Campbell out of Alabama are on the table for the Silver and Black. But, outside of the big names within the position group, who might Las Vegas be looking into during Days 2 and 3 of next month’s draft?

All draft projections below are via NFL Mock Draft Database and as of March 27.

Spillane Replacements

Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

Draft projection: 5th round

Stutsman will remind Radier Nation of Spillane a lot. The Oklahoma product plays with his hair on fire and is a heat-seeking missile as a run defender when blitzing. He’s also a better athlete and better in coverage than some will give him credit for, evidenced by his 4.52-second 40 at 233 pounds during the NFL Combine. That being said, Stutsman’s game is predicated on being a force when coming downhill against the run.

Demetrius Knight, South Carolina

Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Draft projection: 3rd round

After spending four seasons at Georgia Tech and one more at Charlotte before transferring to South Carolina, Knight is one of the oldest draft prospects in this year’s class. He’ll be a 25-year-old rookie but there aren’t many, if any, better run-defending linebackers in this year’s draft class. At 246 pounds with sub-4.6 speed, Knight can be a force when coming downhill. Also, he has good arm length (33¼ inches) and plenty of upper body strength to get off blocks in the running game.

Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota

Draft projection: Undrafted

The UDFA projection for Lindenberg feels like it’s off, and he’s ranked as high as 150th on NMDD. While he lacks athleticism, the 6-foot-2 and 239-pound linebacker with 33-inch arms has the potential to be a quality run defender at the next level. As is the common theme with these backers, he has plenty of thud when coming downhill and can get off blocks in the run game.

Deablo Replacements

Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon

Photo by CFP/Getty Images

Draft projection: 4th round

A Film Room piece on Bassa should be out by the time this article is published, so this statement will be repetitive for those who have already read that one; the Oregon product can be what the Raiders were hoping they’d get in Deablo. Bassa played some safety in Eugene originally and has the athleticism to be a good coverage backer. On top of that, he’s a physical run defender who can develop into a well-rounded backer for the modern game.

Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss

Draft projection: 4th round

Bassa and Paul are pretty similar to one another. The Ole Miss product is an impressive athlete to help in coverage and has good sideline-to-sideline speed for range as a run defender. He does need to add some size and strength to get better against the run, but the 222-pounder has plenty of room for growth on his frame to be more stout at the point of attack with some extra time in the weight room.

Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Draft projection: 2nd round

Schwesinger has a Disney-esque storyline with his rise this past season. Originally a walk-on in Westwood, he barely played during his first three years in college and didn’t crack the starting lineup until Week 4 of last season. But the First-Team All-American ended up leading the country with 90 solo tackles (136 total in 12 games) to become one of the top linebackers in the 2025 draft class.

Schwesinger combines impressive speed, athleticism and instincts to impact both phases of the game. While he does struggle to take on blocks, he showed up to the combine 17 pounds (242 pounds) heavier than his listed weight at UCLA and still had the second-highest vertical (39.5 inches) among linebackers. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain his speed at that weight, but the extra mass should help add some sand in his pants.