Raiders Rookies Who Will Make Instant Impact in 2023 Season

The Las Vegas Raiders did a lot of work turning over their roster this offseason. However, it was difficult to say it was markedly better coming out of early free agency than it was before.

If Las Vegas is going to take positive strides in 2023, it will need significant contributions from its rookie class. The Raiders made nine total selections in the NFL draft, and several of the incoming prospects have the potential to fill important roles early this season.

Here, we'll examine three incoming Raiders rookies who are most likely to make an early impact.

Factors such as positional value, proven production, team needs and roster depth were all considered here.

Tyree Wilson, DL, Texas Tech

AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson arrives on the red carpet before the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 27, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Round 1 (7th overall)

Last season, the Raiders ranked 23rd in yards per rush allowed (4.5), 28th in yards per pass attempt surrendered (6.7), 28th in yards allowed and 26th in points allowed. Unsurprisingly, general manager Dave Ziegler used his first draft pick on a defender.

Former Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson has the potential to improve Las Vegas' defense tremendously and in multiple areas. He can rush the passer from the edge, kick inside and rush from the interior, and he isn't a liability in the run game.

"He uses his strength well both as a pass-rusher and run defender and is surprisingly good at gaining a leverage advantage at the point of attack for how tall he is," Matt Holder of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote.

As an edge-rusher, Wilson will find himself in a rotation with Chandler Jones and Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. However, his positional versatility should also allow defensive coordinator Patrick Graham to get all three sack artists on the field simultaneously.

Because Wilson can move around the formation and won't have to carry the Raiders' pass rush on his own, it wouldn't be a total shock to see him lead all rookies in sacks this season.

Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 04: Michael Mayer of Notre Dame participates in the 40-yard dash during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 04, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Round 2 (35th overall)

Michael Mayer was the top tight end and fifth-ranked overall prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final draft board. Yet, he somehow fell to the Raiders in Round 2.

Trading up to grab the 21-year-old was a common-sense move after Las Vegas traded tight end Darren Waller to the New York Giants. O.J. Howard and Austin Hooper were brought in as replacements, but neither is likely to be the sort of long-term building block that Mayer can be.

The Notre Dame product, who caught 67 passes for 809 yards and nine touchdowns last season, is a high-floor prospect who does a bit of everything well. He'll quickly emerge as one of Jimmy Garoppolo's top targets and a key player in Josh McDaniels' offense.

"As a traditional 'Y' tight end with the capacity to play attached to a tackle at the line of scrimmage or out wide as a 'FLEX' player, Josh McDaniels has an intriguing chess piece to utilize in the passing game to make life easy on Jimmy G. and Co. in the pocket," NFL.com's Bucky Brooks wrote for the Raiders' official website.

Expect Mayer to be a starter from day one and an above-average NFL tight end before the finish of his inaugural campaign.

Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati

Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

MOBILE, AL - FEBRUARY 01: National wide receiver Tre Tucker of Cincinnati (11) during the Reese's Senior Bowl National team practice session on February 1, 2023 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Round 3 (100th overall)

The Raiders have a fairly deep receiver room after signing Jakobi Meyers in free agency. And players such as Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Phillip Dorsett could keep third-round pick Tre Tucker out of the starting lineup early.

However, the undersized (5'9", 189 lbs) but speedy (4.4-second 40-yard dash) pass-catcher is still poised to make an early impact.

Tucker can contribute early as a complementary speed threat. He caught 52 passes for 672 yards and three touchdowns in his final season at Cincinnati. He averaged 12.8 yards per catch in college and could chew up yards at a similar rate as a pro.

And while the 22-year-old's offensive potential is intriguing, his biggest early impact may come on special teams. He averaged 24.9 yards per kickoff return in college and scored twice in that phase. He also averaged 15.3 yards per punt return in 2022, though his experience there is a bit more limited (five career punt returns versus 67 kickoff returns).

McDaniels and Ziegler both come from the New England Patriots, an organization that regularly prioritized special teams. Expect the Raiders to get the most out of Tucker as a returner and for the rookie to make an immediate splash.