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HENDERSON, Nev. — The Raiders did their due diligence on the quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft throughout their scouting process, but once Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson were all selected in the first four picks, they turned the page on taking a player at the position at the top of the first round. Will Levis was still available when they came on the clock, but with Jimmy Garoppolo in tow as the starter, they didn’t feel the need to force it with a quarterback who general manager Dave Ziegler, coach Josh McDaniels and the rest of the front office weren’t completely sold on. And, considering the plethora of holes on the roster, it’s hard to argue with their logic.
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That line of thinking led the Raiders to draft former Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson with the No. 7 pick Thursday. The 6-foot-5, 271-pounder automatically becomes their biggest addition on the defensive side of the ball this offseason.
Draft grades: Scott Dochterman on Round 1
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
NFL Draft 2023 tracker: Live blog and pick-by-pick analysis
Big board ranking
Wilson is The Athletic draft analyst Dane Brugler’s No. 8-ranked prospect in the draft, his fourth-highest rated defensive player and plays a premium position, so this is good value. In drafting Wilson, the Raiders passed on defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who was Brugler’s No. 3-ranked prospect. While they were high on Carter’s on-the-field potential, there were ultimately too many off-the-field concerns after he pleaded no contest last month to two misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving following a car crash that killed teammate Devin Willock and Georgia recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy. That would be an issue for any team, but former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III’s arrest on felony charges including DUI resulting in death following a 2021 car crash that killed local resident Tina Tintor complicated matters even further.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Brugler’s No. 5 prospect, was another viable option. The Raiders lack proven starters at either outside cornerback spot and desperately need help at the position, but Ziegler made it clear at the NFL Scouting Combine in March that he prefers to build defenses from front-to-back.
The last alternative that stands out is offensive lineman Peter Skoronski. There’s a belief he can play guard and offensive tackle in the NFL and he could’ve competed for starting jobs at either right guard or right tackle for the Raiders. The Raiders liked Skoronski — and offensive tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who was selected No. 6 by the Cardinals — but defense ultimately won out in terms of priorities. According to a league source, the Raiders had Wilson slotted as their No. 1 edge rusher in the draft, even above Will Anderson Jr., who was Brugler’s No. 2 prospect and was drafted No. 3 by the Texans.
GO DEEPER
Las Vegas Raiders NFL Draft picks 2023: Grades, fits and scouting reports
Introduction
Wilson’s 2022 season ended prematurely due to a foot injury, but it still stands out as the best season of his college career. He posted an impressive line of 61 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks in just 10 games. Throughout four seasons at Texas Tech and three years as a starter, Wilson was a player who consistently made plays in the backfield as he racked up 32 TFL and 17 sacks, but his game is about more than just the splash plays. He brings consistency as a run defender and pass rusher and rarely makes mistakes. He’s more of a power rusher and lacks high-end speed, athleticism or pass-rush moves, but his motor, football smarts and physical profile give him the chance to continue to be an effective player at the next level.
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How he fits
Wilson played multiple alignments along the defensive line at Texas Tech. In Texas Tech defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s, 3-3-5 scheme, he lined up as a traditional edge rusher, rotated inside as a four-technique defensive tackle, rushed as a stand-up outside linebacker and also dropped back into coverage. He has the size, strength and length to play edge rusher, outside linebacker and defensive tackle in the NFL, which is attractive for the Raiders because defensive coordinator Patrick Graham uses a multiple scheme and often switches between 3-4 and 4-3 alignments.
Rookie impact
Wilson may not be a full-time starter — more on that later — so he probably won’t put together a stat line that jumps off the page as a rookie. What he can do, though, is give the Raiders improved depth along the D-line, make plays when he is on the field and make it tougher for offensive lines to key in on his fellow members of the defensive front on any given play. That may not sound like a rookie impact that justifies the No. 7 pick, but this selection was made with the long-term view in mind.
Depth-chart impact
Despite his draft position, Wilson slots firmly behind veterans Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones at edge rusher. The Raiders’ third-best veteran edge rusher is Jordan Willis, however, so there will be plenty of opportunity for him to work into the rotation. Additionally, his ability to play on the interior defensive line will help create opportunities where the Raiders can have Wilson, Crosby and Jones all on the field at the same time. Looking ahead to the future, though, the plan is for Wilson to take over as the starting edge rusher opposite Crosby whenever the Raiders move on from Jones.
Fast evaluation
Passing on Carter is understandable, but I would’ve drafted Gonzalez over Wilson. He has all the tools you want in a modern cornerback as someone who’s 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash, has explosive athleticism, displayed inside-outside versatility, has experience playing various man and zone coverages, is a willing tackler and has refined fundamentals. He’s only 20 years old and would’ve been a Year 1 starter. Wilson could become an impactful starter one day, but Gonzalez is someone who would’ve been more certain to make a big impact for the Raiders now and later.
(Top photo: David Eulitt / Getty Images)