In the 2022 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders found one full-time starter: Dylan Parham. This year, the Raiders are hoping to triple that number as their first three selections should all see a significant amount of snaps right away as rookies.
But how many other players could see big workloads during the 2023 season? Maybe more than you think.
In a recent article by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, he wrote about his biggest takeaway for each team after the NFL Draft. For the Raiders, it was that their rookie class should see a lot of playing time this season:
We knew it would be important for the Raiders to nail their first selection of the draft in the top 10. Tyree Wilson has a chance to be a high-impact player in Year 1 due to the fact that he should see a decent amount of one-on-one opportunities as teams focus on stopping Maxx Crosby on the other side of the line.
As for the offense, trading Darren Waller this offseason was a big blow, but adding an experienced tight end like Michael Mayer in the second round means the Raiders can continue to emphasize that position in the passing game.
Wilson and Mayer should both play a ton of snaps this season, even if they aren’t listed as starters. Byron Young could also play a big role for the Raiders as he’s likely to be one of the team’s starting 5-techniques. And even Jakorian Bennet has a chance to start at cornerback for Las Vegas in Year 1.
The rest of the rookie class is expected to fill in the rest of the roster, but don’t be surprised if someone like Tre Tucker quickly finds a role in the offense due to his speed. And if that’s the case, the Raiders could see upwards of five rookies on the field playing significant snaps.
