The Las Vegas Raiders entered the draft with a unique dynamic, featuring a confluence of influential voices potentially shaping their decisions. These included General Manager John Spytek, Head Coach Pete Carroll, Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly, and minority owner Tom Brady. This complex decision-making structure added intrigue to their draft strategy, particularly concerning the selection of running back Ashton Jeanty at No. 6, a move, according to The Athletic’s Mike Sando, that reportedly drew differing opinions among executives.
Las Vegas Raiders Ashton Jeanty Draws Comparison To Los Vegas Chargers 2024 1st Rounder
One Sando highlighted drew an interesting comparison for Jeanty,
“What increases his value beyond being a very good player is that he is a cultural piece, and there are very few of those in any draft, kind of like the tackle the Chargers took last year (Joe Alt),” one exec said.
Another executive recognized Jeanty as one of two ‘clean’ prospects in the draft, which by NFL standards means he is without any discernible red flags in addition to the fit within Carroll’s philosophy.
“Jeanty and Travis Hunter were as clean as you could get in this draft, considering Abdul Carter has a medical issue,” another exec said. “Both incredibly productive with football character off the charts. At their workouts, you can tell they take care of their bodies, they are durable, they are going to put points on the board. I like it for the Raiders. It fits Pete’s philosophy.”
In contrast to prioritizing a running back early in the draft, Sando wrote that some observers believed the Raiders should have focused on offensive line improvements, considering their stage of development. While acknowledging these line concerns, the presence of two highly drafted tight ends [Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer] on the roster suggests a potential mitigation strategy through the utilization of 12 personnel packages.