Prospects for Raiders to Avoid in 2023 NFL Draft

The Las Vegas Raiders made the postseason in 2021, and the new regime of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler tried running things back this past season.

It didn't work, and Las Vegas has been working to turn over the roster and build the team that McDaniels and Ziegler want this offseason.

Quarterback Derek Carr was replaced by Jimmy Garoppolo. Tight end Darren Waller was traded away and replaced by Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard. A bevy of other free agents—including Jakobi Meyers, Robert Spillane, Marcus Epps, Jordan Willis and David Long—has further changed the complexion of the roster.

The rebuilding will continue in the draft, where Las Vegas has 12 total picks, including the seventh overall selection.

While the Raiders are clearly building a different roster, it won't be a successful one if Las Vegas can't hit on the right draft prospects and pass on the wrong ones. With this in mind, let's examine three prospects the Raiders should look to avoid over draft weekend and why.

Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee

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Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker

Though the Raiders have Garoppolo, they shouldn't view him as the quarterback of the future. The 31-year-old is coming off a season-ending foot ailment and has an extensive injury history.

There's a very real chance that Las Vegas looks to draft Garoppolo's successor this year. There has been some buzz that Las Vegas will even trade up to do so. According to NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah, the Raiders and Tennessee Titans are two teams that could move up for the Arizona Cardinals' No. 3 selection.

"The two teams to keep an eye on with the trade-ups were the Raiders and the Titans," Jeremiah said on his Move the Sticks podcast (h/t Buck Reising of A to Z Sports).

While snagging a prospect like Ohio State's C.J. Stroud or Florida's Anthony Richardson would make sense for Las Vegas, the Raiders should be out on Tennessee's Hendon Hooker, who may not be ready to start for several seasons.

Hooker is coming off a torn ACL, will turn 26 next January and isn't likely to have a quick transition to the NFL.

"Hooker will need years of development with respect to progressions, accuracy outside the numbers, and pocket management, which is a concerning profile for such an old prospect," Derrik Klassen of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

Because of how Garoppolo's contract is constructed, Las Vegas should be eyeing a quarterback it can turn to as early as 2024—the Raiders can release Garoppolo after the season and save $9.3 million of the 2024 cap. That simply isn't Hooker.

Bryan Bresee, DL, Clemson

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Clemson DL Bryan Bresee

If the Raiders don't take a quarterback in Round 1, they'll likely (and should) go with a defensive prospect. Las Vegas ranked 28th in yards allowed and 26th in points allowed last season.

There are several defenders Las Vegas should be comfortable taking at the top of Round 1. However, Clemson's Bryan Bresee isn't one of them. There's a lot to like about the 6'5", 298-pound prospect, but there are also serious questions.

Bresee suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and missed another three games because of illness in 2022. He also isn't particularly polished as an interior pass-rusher.

"He operates with subtle hand fighting that helps puts pressure on blockers but currently lacks the rush sophistication and shed technique to make more plays in the backfield," NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote.

While Bresee has a high ceiling—he's the second-ranked defensive lineman on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's draft board—but his floor is more good than great.

The Raiders need an immediate impact defender, and there's no guarantee that Bresee can be that. After missing on multiple first-round picks in recent years, the Raiders need to be sure of what they're getting with their first pick this spring.

A prospect like Clemson edge-rusher Myles Murphy or Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr. would make much more sense early in Round 1.

Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M

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Texas A&M S Antonio Johnson

The Raiders are likely to start Epps at safety opposite Tre'von Moehrig, who showed a lot of promise over his first two NFL seasons. However, Las Vegas could certainly use depth at the position.

Unfortunately, the 2023 class isn't particularly deep at safety, which could leave teams reaching at the position.

Las Vegas shouldn't reach to address its safety depth, and it definitely shouldn't make a move for Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson. The issue with Johnson isn't necessarily talent—it's that his experience comes as a slot specialist.

"Johnson is listed as a safety, but in actuality, he was almost exclusively a slot in college. In three seasons with the Aggies, Johnson played all of two games as a traditional safety," Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus wrote.

There's nothing wrong with adding a quality slot defender to a secondary, of course, but the Raiders already have a solid nickel defender in Nate Hobbs. With Johnson likely to go early in the draft—he's the 31st-ranked prospect on the B/R board—the Raiders should bypass him for a prospect more likely to fill an immediate need.