Raiders' 2025 draft class struggles to make impact thus far

HENDERSON, Nev. — Tom Telesco's lone draft class as the Raiders' general manager produced starters in the first three rounds last season that included a history-making tight end in Brock Bowers and offensive linemen Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze.

Even Las Vegas' fourth-round pick, cornerback Decamerion Richardson, started seven games.

It was generally considered a successful draft, but it wasn't enough to erase the stink of a 4-13 record, resulting in the firings of Telesco and coach Antonio Pierce.

Under the new regime of coach Pete Carroll and GM John Spytek, the Raiders received positive reviews for their draft this year. But the draft class, thus far at least, has failed to live up to those initial reviews or last year's standards.

Running back Ashton Jeanty, taken sixth overall, is the only player to make a significant impact to this point, and it took him four starts to produce the kind of game long expected. He rushed for 138 yards and scored three touchdowns on the ground and through the air Sunday in a 25-24 loss to Chicago.

“I don’t have any expectation for the draft class,” Carroll said. “When you have a kid like Ashton that’s picked up high like that, and we were slotting him into a starting spot really from the beginning, that’s different than the rest of the guys.

"We just want to keep growing with these guys and make the right decisions along the way. We don’t do it because you think we should start guys because they’ve been drafted. That’s not how we think. But I love playing young guys and I love developing them, and we’re in the process.”

There are signs other 2025 draft picks will begin making contributions, perhaps on Sunday when the Raiders play at Indianapolis.

Wide receiver Jack Bech, selected in the second round, has been targeted twice this season, catching both passes for 33 yards.

“We just need to get him out there more,” Carroll said. "He’s in rotations that just didn’t get him enough snaps. So he’s capable of playing more snaps and should.”

Bech — as well as fourth-rounder Dont'e Thornton Jr. — are part of a Raiders receiving group that includes Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker as well as Bowers who often plays more like a wideout than a tight end. So there are only so many passing opportunities to go around.

“The whole receiving room has been great,” Bech said. “Everybody's in there helping each other out. We're obviously out there competing. We're all just trying to get better.”

Cornerback Darien Porter, taken in the third round, appeared early in training camp as if he would start as a rookie, but eventually lost that spot to Kyu Blu Kelly. Porter has received most of his playing time on special teams at 64% compared to 13% on defense.

He's also fairly new to the position, switching from wide receiver as a junior at Iowa State, but last season started seven games in the secondary and was honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference.

Now he's trying to excel at cornerback at the sport's highest level.

“It's been a learning process, but I think every week I pick up on the defense,” Porter said. “I learn technique a little better. You get more sound all around. I think I've been progressing well.”

Carroll said he's encouraged by what he's seen from Porter.

“I’m hoping that we get a chance to get him in the game a little bit more than we did last week,” Carroll said.

The Raiders used two third-round picks on offensive linemen — Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant. Neither has played, but Grant will need to be ready now that he's second-team left tackle with Kolton Miller on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain. Stone Forsythe will start against the Colts.

“On the offensive line in particular, we’d like to hold off as much as we can till these guys really can prove that they’re ready, but you don’t always have that opportunity,” Carroll said. “So Charles, he’s working like crazy with a real concern for, ‘Now, I may have to play right now.’ So we’re going to try to get that prepared, and if he does have to go in there and we need him, he’ll go.”