Raiders reporter Tashan Reed breaks down the Las Vegas' first round at the NFL Draft and why they are happy they got edge rusher Tyree Wilson.

Video Transcript

- So the Raiders, though, again, there was a lot of buzz-- going back to that number two spot-- a lot of buzz about Tyree Wilson maybe being the Texans' pick and not a quarterback at the number two spot. He was one of those, like-- and this is always, you know, talk about fake, the idea of somebody rising. It's like, no. Like, we're just getting hip to who people like.

But Tyree Wilson wasn't able to participate in the entirety of the draft process. But, like-- but a freak, you know? And again, best dressed, best hugs. He's got that going for him. What was the Raiders-- because it was also talk about the Raiders maybe going offensive tackle, like, a lot of connections to Skoronski out of Northwestern for them. What was the Raiders thinking in Tyree Wilson? What do they love about him? And what do you know about him in terms of your reporting about him as a prospect?

TASHAN REED: Yeah, and I reported yesterday that he was their top-rated edge rusher in the entire class. That's even over Will Anderson. Although, it gets a little easier to say after Will Anderson's already off the board. But I believe they truly thought that.

- Right.

TASHAN REED: He fits their scheme. You know, Patrick Graham, their defensive coordinator, he runs-- they have multiple scheme up front. He switches between a 3-4 and 4-3. And Tyree Wilson is a guy that, in college, he played interior defensive line. He played traditional defensive end. He lined up as an outside linebacker.

And he's a guy that, even though they have Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby, they can get all three of them on the field together and try to rush the opposing quarterbacks, obviously, in the division at their end with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, even Russell Wilson. I know everybody's burying him. But he's still a good quarterback in my mind. You need guys that can get after the quarterback and create havoc. And they believe that he had the best chance of doing so.

They did like other players there. You mentioned offensive lineman. But also, defensive tackle Jalen Carter was still there. I think he was also somebody that enticed them. But for them, given what happened in 2021 with Henry Ruggs driving under the influence and causing the accident that-- or causing the crash, I should say, that killed Tina Tintor, and then Jalen Carter, the nature of his off-the-field issues with speeding being involved and people losing their life--

- Too soon.

TASHAN REED: --I think, ultimately, that was just something that organizationally wasn't going to get the green light. And so even if they had Jalen Carter above Tyree Wilson, which I think they probably did in terms of as an individual player, Tyree Wilson has a clean bill of health in terms of his off-the-field track record. He's a hard worker. He did have a foot injury last year that prematurely ended his season.

But obviously, for them to take him at number seven, they feel pretty good about his ability to bounce back. And he said yesterday he'll be ready to go by training camp. And so even if he isn't a starter this year, which he probably won't be behind Jones and Crosby, this is more about the future. About 2024, I would expect him to be a starter. And it's indicative of their overall plan to build for the future, take their time.

And they're realistic about where they're at. Like, last year they went for it. They were trying to compete this year. They know, all right, like, our roster isn't that good. It's going to be a slow built. And Tyree Wilson is a pick that reflects that.

- That sounds like a perfect spot for a quarterback to sit behind Jimmy G., right? Like, it feels like they got--

TASHAN REED: Yeah, but it has to be the right guy though, you know? You can't just take a quarterback just because one is there. And they just didn't like Will Levis enough to take him at seven. Hendon Hooker, the same thing. They did reportedly call about trying to trade back into the end of the first round. And so we'll see here. As I said, there's a good chance that Levis and Hooker are still there on the board at 38 when they come up in the second round.

- Yeah.

TASHAN REED: And so just because they didn't take a guy in the first round, it doesn't mean they wouldn't take one in the second round. I mean, the guy that was just the Raiders' quarterback for a decade was a second-round pick in Derek Carr. And he worked out. I know usually second-round quarterbacks don't work out. But, hey, Jalen Hurts was just in the Super Bowl last year. What was he? A second-round pick. And so you don't have to take a guy in the first round--

- You know, Geno Smith was a second-round pick.

TASHAN REED: --to develop him behind Jimmy G. There you go.

- I mean, hey, look, he took a winding road to get to this point, you know? But he's still a second-round pick, you know? He came in the door as a second-rounder.

TASHAN REED: Right, and so it doesn't mean that these guys are off the draft board. He's still my pick.

- We see Connor Rogers' best players available. That's from Connor's perspective. I'm just wondering about you, Tashan. If you look at these guys beginning of second round tonight, who's out there that you like the most? Just the player, I'm like, wow, I can't believe this guy is still there. I really like him. Who's that guy?

TASHAN REED: Yeah, I think you got to throw Levis and Hooker in there. But I think the player, the individual player stands out the most to me, is cornerback Joey Porter coming out of Penn State. He's a guy I thought would have gone in the first round. I like his size, his length, his physicality. He doesn't necessarily have high-end speed or athleticism. But I think he's a day-one starter as an outside cornerback who could lock down that position for years to come.

And for the Raiders, I don't know if you looked at their depth chart lately, they ain't got no cornerbacks. And so if he's there at 38, I think even if a Levis or Hooker or both are there, I would probably consider taking Porter over both of them. The defense is really in rough shape. And I really don't think they need to force it at the quarterback position.

Obviously, they gave Jimmy Garoppolo-- I mean, you're paying him $25 million a year. You're essentially locked into him for two seasons. Why not beef up the defense, let Jimmy G. roll out there, and maybe try to target the quarterback position later in the draft, or put it off for an entire year?