Trust me, I’m not a fan of the Raiders. Trust me.
I know it may seem hard to believe, when the Raiders keep their three first-round picks, add a top-five prospect in Brian Burns, then add the best interior lineman in the NFL Draft in Garrett Bradbury, and then add one of the best offensive weapons in the NFL Draft in Noah Fant. But trust me. The Raiders are probably around fourteen or fifteen on my list of favorite teams.
That said, part of this exercise was me wanting to convey the kind of value and talent that the Raiders can get with three first-round picks. Jon Gruden’s golden plan is a long-term one; he’s been given ten years, after all. But if he plays his cards right in the NFL Draft, he can drastically speed the progress of his franchise.
Of course, winning the NFL Draft is a lot to ask from a coach who drafted Kolton Miller at No. 15 overall last year. A coach who drafted P.J. Hall in Round 2. A coach who drafted Brandon Parker (who they’ve already given up on) at the top of Round 3. Gruden still has plenty to prove. With this class, he would prove it.