The Las Vegas Raiders hold the sixth overall pick in the upcoming NFL draft, which takes place later this month. Soon, the season of mock drafts will end, and speculation about how the new rookies will perform will be all anyone talks about.
However, there is still time to speculate and for the Raiders it’s no different. For the majority of mock draft season, they’ve been predicted many times over to select Ashton Jeanty with their high draft pick.
There have been some outliers like the possibility of drafting Tetairoa McMillan or even leaning toward the defense and drafting Mason Graham, but the majority of analysts have said that Jeanty will be wearing the Silver and Black next season.
Lance Zierlein is a draft analyst who works for the NFL, and he recently published his third iteration of a mock draft. In this updated version, he goes against the grain and predicts the Raiders will select Jalon Walker, a linebacker prospect from the University of Georgia.
“Ashton Jeanty is my favorite player in the draft, but this running back class is very deep. Walker is a hybrid edge/linebacker with the talent and football character to be a building block for the Raiders’ current reset,” said Zierlein.
In 2024, Walker had an explosive season for the Georgia Bulldogs with 61 total tackles, two passes defended, and 6.5 sacks. His dominance on the line of scrimmage and versatility on the field earned him the prestigious Butkus Award for 2024.
The Butkus Award is given to the best linebacker in the country, with extra criteria such as a commitment to community service and excellence on and off the field. I think the Raiders would be beside themselves if they passed up on Jeanty, but the upside of Walker may be just as impactful.
Their defense is already one of their strong suits, but adding a player like Walker who could come off the edge, play the middle of the field, or even blitz, will make their defense even scarier. Maxx Crosby is arguably the leader of this team, Walker could fill in his shoes when his play declines or he retires.