Raiders' Team Needs to Fill in 2022 NFL Draft

The first wave of NFL free agency was an exciting one for the Las Vegas Raiders. They made a series of moves that should have them poised to contend in the suddenly-stacked AFC West.

Through free agency and the trade market, the Raiders have added Chandler Jones, Davante Adams, Rock Ya-Sin, Jayon Brown, Jacob Hollister and Demarcus Robinson, to name a few. Jones and Adams are the big additions, of course. Both are poised to be future Hall of Famers.

Las Vegas still has work to do in the 2022 draft, though, and only a handful of picks with which to work. The Raiders sent their first- and second-round selections to the Green Bay Packers in the Adams trade, leaving them with a third, a fourth, two fifths and a seventh.

How should the Raiders spend their remaining draft capital? Below, you'll find a look at the three biggest needs Las Vegas should look to fill during its hometown draft next month.

Offensive Line

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Justin Shaffer

The first order of business for Las Vegas in the draft should be bolstering its offensive line. The unit allowed 40 sacks in 2021, and quarterback Derek Carr was pressured 146 times. In addition, the Raiders ranked just 27th in rushing yards per attempt.

2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood was particularly disappointing. He moved inside to guard and still struggled in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, Leatherwood was responsible for 14 penalties and eight sacks allowed.

The focus here should be on right tackle and guard. Finding an instant-impact starter in Round 3 or later won't be easy, but Las Vegas has some intriguing options. For example, Georgia's Justin Shaffer—the 108th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's big board—has high enough of a floor to get into the rotation early.

"Shaffer is a hulking presence on the interior with excellent size, play strength and physicality to displace interior defenders in the run game and be a difficult obstacle to work around in pass protection," Brandon Thorn of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

Other late-Day 2 and Day 3 prospects Las Vegas could target include Arizona State's Dohnovan West, Chattanooga's Cole Strange and Louisiana's. Max Mitchell.

Linebacker

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Channing Tindall

Defensively, the Raiders should be eyeing prospects who can make big plays and keep the opposition out of the end zone.

Despite ranking 10th in yards per rush allowed, eighth in yards per pass allowed and 14th in total defense, the Raiders ranked just 26th in points allowed. They were also dead-last in the league with six interceptions.

Adding a quick, athletic linebacker to the mix could help limit broken plays and touchdown runs—Las Vegas ranked 23rd in that department, allowing 18 touchdowns on the ground. While this isn't a particularly deep linebacker class, the Raiders should be able to find some prospects with upside in the middle rounds.

Georgia linebacker Channing Tindall, for example, is raw but possesses great defensive speed. He ran a 4.47-second 40 at the combine, and his quickness and run-and-hit ability can't be coached. While Tindell is a bit unpolished, he could develop into a future sideline-to-sideline run defender.

Tindell is the 113th-ranked prospect on the B/R board. Other linebackers the Raiders could consider include Auburn's Zakoby McClain, Nebraska's JoJo Domann and Wisconsin's Jack Sanborn.

Cornerback

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Tariq Woolen

The Raiders struggled to create takeaways in 2021. They also lost a reliable starter in Casey Hayward during free agency.

Hayward has missed just two games since the start of the 2014 season. He has played at least 86 percent of the defensive snaps in every season since 2014 and has 112 career starts on his resume.

Las Vegas might not find an immediate starter, given their draft capital. However, a middle-round prospect like UT-San Antonio's Tariq Woolen could have an early impact as a rotational player. Though he's not great against the run and can struggle in press coverage, Woolen has the vision necessary to come up with the football.

"Woolen excels when playing in zone, where he can read the quarterback and see the routes develop in front of him. He uses his vision and awareness to anticipate and jump underneath routes," Cory Giddings of the B/R Scouting Department wrote.

Woolen is the 83rd-ranked prospect on the B/R board, and Las Vegas' top pick is at No. 86. The B/R Scouting Department has 20 other corners ranked below Woolen and inside the top 250. Las Vegas should have little trouble finding a corner or two to help round out its secondary depth.

Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.