Raiders Players Who Will Be Most Impacted by 2023 NFL Draft Picks
The Las Vegas Raiders have been incredibly busy this offseason, signing 16 external free agents to shake up the roster under general manager Dave Ziegler. At the 2023 NFL draft, he'll have an opportunity to continue the remodel.
The flurry of signings, in addition to 12 picks in the upcoming talent grab, makes one thing clear: There will be serious competition in Vegas this season.
After going 6-11 last year, there are few Raiders players who should feel 100 percent confident they will be returning to the role they held last year.
The team's selections this year are going to tell us something about what it thinks of its existing talent.
As we get ready for the draft, these three players could be the most impacted by the new additions in Las Vegas.
TE Austin Hooper
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Austin Hooper has yet to play a game in the Silver and Black, but he's already likely to see his replacement selected by the end of the month.
The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract that isn't near enough to guarantee he is the team's top TE. Instead, it's more likely he's seen as a veteran mentor who is going to give the Raiders a reliable option early in the season before being replaced by a newcomer.
Making that thought process more likely is a relatively deep tight end class. There are five TEs in the top 50 of Bleacher Report's latest big board.
While Michael Mayer and Darnell Washington aren't likely to be available when the Raiders might start looking at tight ends at pick No. 38, Luke Musgrave and Dalton Kincaid could be options.
If either of them are the choices, then Hooper should have a role in the offense moving forward. Neither is a great blocker, but they both have the ability to be Darren Waller-type receivers downfield.
If Vegas passes on a tight end with its first two picks, then Sam LaPorta and Tucker Kraft become options for pick No. 70.
Either way, Hooper is going to have competition outside of O.J. Howard when training camp starts.
S Tre'von Moehrig
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Tre'von Moehrig's future in Las Vegas is interesting. He was a second-round pick in the last Mike Mayock-led draft in 2021 and had a strong first season.
As a rookie, the 23-year-old started all 17 games and allowed just 181 yards in coverage with an interception and six passes defended. He gave up just 7.5 yards per target. All of those numbers were much worse in the first year under head coach Josh McDaniels.
In Patrick Graham's defense last season, Moehrig gave up 449 yards, four touchdowns and 9.8 yards per target.
With the change in scheme, the former TCU player's production suffered, and it's fair to wonder how much the new coaching staff actually values him.
This draft will be a good indicator of whether the Raiders believe he is a starter moving forward. They already brought in Marcus Epps from the Eagles to be one of the starters on the back end. If they draft a safety relatively early, it will be a sign that Moehrig's days of being trusted as a starter are numbered.
Las Vegas had top-rated safety Brian Branch in for a Top 30 visit, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, while Minnesota safety Jordan Howden was also brought in for a local visit.
That early interest in the position doesn't bode well for Moehrig.
LB Divine Deablo
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The Raiders have already made some significant decisions when it comes to linebackers. They allowed Denzel Perryman to walk while signing former Pittsburgh Steelers starter Robert Spillane.
Spillane will ostensibly take over Perryman's role, leaving Divine Deablo to start alongside him.
The draft could bring a different projected starter, though. Deablo played in eight games last season, starting each of them. He was good as a tackler, racking up 74 with only three missed attempts.
The problem is that the 24-year-old has not been as advertised in coverage. As a former safety in college, he was supposed to be able to improve the Raiders' pass coverage in the middle of the field.
That wasn't the case. He gave up a passer rating of 123.6, including three touchdowns, when targeted last season. The tackles are nice, but the whole point of starting a 6'3" 226-pound linebacker is that he's essentially another safety on the field.
There are propsects in this year's draft who can fill that role.
Daiyan Henley is a former wide receiver who has transitioned to linebacker. At 6'0", 225 pounds he is on the small side, but if he covers better than Deablo, the 23-year-old makes sense to replace him.
Henry To'oTo'o and Dorian Williams are also late Day 2 or early Day 3 prospects to keep an eye on. Any of them could come in and push Deablo for playing time.
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