Raiders NFL Draft 2025 Grades: John Spytek, Pete Carroll ace top picks

Las Vegas’ draft class is a throwback to the old-school Silver & Black mentality. Let’s grade it

“How about the gambler over here, man? Geez. First draft, how many trades can you make in one day?”

That’s how Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll began the team’s Day 2 recap press conference on Friday night.

He was referring to general manager John Spytek trading down twice in the second round which netted the Silver & Black additional selections in the third and fourth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. And yes, while the GM was a wheeler and dealer, he and Carroll showcased a calculated gambler mentality during the three-day event to bolster Las Vegas’ roster.

The new regime in Las Vegas went with an old-school Raiders mentality of size, speed, and toughness throughout the draft.

So let’s jump right into it, grading the Raiders draft haul:

Las Vegas Raiders 2025 Draft
The Grades

• Round 1: No. 6, Ashton Jeanty, Running Back, Boise State: A+
• Round 2: No. 58, Jack Bech, Wide Receiver, TCU: A
• Round 3: No. 68, Darien Porter, Cornerback, Iowa State: B+
• Round 3: No. 98, Caleb Rogers, Offensive Tackle, Texas Tech: C
• Round 3: No. 99, Charles Grant, Offensive Tackle, William & Mary: A-
• Round 4: No. 108, Dont’e Thornton Jr., Wide Receiver, Tennessee: A
• Round 4: No. 135, Tonka Hemingway, Defensive Tackle, South Carolina: C-
• Round 6: No. 180, J.J. Pegues, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi State: C
• Round 6: No. 213, Tommy Mellott, Wide Receiver, Montana State: C+
• Round 6: No. 215, Cam Miller, Quarterback, North Dakota State: B
• Round 7: No. 222, Cody Lindberg, Linebacker, Minnesota: C

Ashton Jeanty

Fit: The Raiders backfield needs an attitude adjustment and that’s exactly what this tailback is bringing. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly gets a blue chip running back to scheme around that brings power, speed, and vision. Jeanty, 5-foot-9 and 211 pounds, can both gas and pummel defenses and fills a huge need for Las Vegas’ offense. He and stellar tight end Brock Bowers give the Raiders two young foundational offensive pieces for years to come.

Jack Bech

Fit: A tone-setting wideout who is physical and smooth at 6-fooot-1 and 214 pounds, Bech is a savvy route runner who can high-point the football and ultra-competitive. Bech isn’t going to burn defenders outright with speed, but his ability to get in and out of cuts will get him open frequently and he’s fearless going over the middle. He’ll remind Raider Nation of Jakobi Myers as a receiver who has reliable hands and can block.

Darien Porter

Fit: A towering corner who stands nearly 6-foot-3 and has the Carroll-preferred arms (33 1/8 inches) and wingspan (80 inches), Porter brings 4.30 speed to the Raiders secondary. Still developing as a tackler and run defender, he can come in and compete for a role on defense but is also a special teams demon (four blocked punts). He wants to be a gunner on coverage units and punter AJ Cole III is going to love him.

Caleb Rogers

Fit: Despite being an iron man with incredible snap counts in college (55 straight starts, 4,331 total snaps) and having a bevy of experience, Rogers is still a raw prospect — somehow. Plenty big at 6-foot-5 and 312 pounds, Rogers is going to start his career inside at guard and has the footwork and movement skills to do well. But he requires refinement in many areas — particularly improving balance and pad level — as he starts off as a depth piece.

Charles Grant

Fit: A nimble 6-foot-5 and 311-pound blindside protector that is an excellent fit for a zone-heavy scheme, Grant is an ideal type for the Raiders upcoming system under Kelly. His wrestling background and massive wingspan (81 7/8 inches) along with his heavy bag of tricks can stymie incoming rushers and he can get out to the second level as a run blocker. He’ll need to get stronger to meet the leap in competition head-on.

Dont’e Thornton Jr.

Fit: Fear. Instilling. Speed. Viewed as a one-trick pony, Thornton brings exactly what the Raiders offense is missing: A pure vertical threat that has size. At 6-foot-5 with 4.30 speed, Thornton demands coverage whether he’s the target or not and will help open things up for Bech, Brock Bowers, Jakobi Myers, and others. Thorton’s size and speed also make him a potential monster as a gunner on special teams, too.

Tonka Hemingway

Fit: Undersized at nearly 6-foot-3 and 282 pounds, how the Raiders deploy Hemingway goes a long way to his future projection. Is he a big edge or a light defensive tackle? Athletic with an explosive first step, Hemingway has the makings of a penetrating linemen, but he needs to gain more strength to anchor with power. Think of Hemingway as a lighter Adam Butler — Dylan Parham light, specifically.

J.J. Pegues

Fit: Another athletic interior linemen prospect, at 6-foot-3 and 309 pounds, Pegues moves very well for a player of his size. While he doesn’t bring power as a defender you’d expect, he’s quick and can beat one-on-one and double team blocks. But do the Raiders have a new-age Zack Crockett on their hands? Used as a power fullback in Lane Kiffin’s offense, Pegues scored seven touchdowns for Ole Miss in 2024 as a short-yardage runner.

Tommy Mellot

Fit: Announced as a wide receiver at the draft, but listed as a quarterback by the Raiders, Mellot was a dual-threat explosive athlete as a QB at Montana State. Standing 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Las Vegas would be wise to let Mellot dabble in everything including return man. He brings 4.39 speed, vision and toughness to be a slot type in the NFL. Perhaps he can even be a trick play/wildcat-type quarterback for Las Vegas?

Cam Miller

Fit: High football IQ and a game manager-type, Miller isn’t physically impressive at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds. What is impressive is his anticipation and accuracy. He can feather and thread passes but doesn’t offer a true cannon of an arm. Miller is a good decision maker and gets the most out of what’s presented to him — with his arm and legs. Miller has a shot to earn the QB3 role as a rookie.

Cody Lindenberg

Fit: A read-and-react linebacker, Lindenberg can diagnose pre-snap and post as he recognizes plays and tendencies. The 6-foot-2 and 236-pounder offers straight line speed to attack the run and blitz and improved his coverage skills. But his backpedal and lateral movement can be painful watch a times. High motor and competitiveness are tailor made for special teams.

Raiders Overall Grade: B