Silver And Black Pride
A few notable names at the Raiders’ positions of need
One of the first major 2025 NFL Draft events is here as the Senior Bowl practices get underway on Tuesday. With an eye toward the Las Vegas Raiders' needs, below are a handful of players to keep tabs on during the week.
One note, Silver and Black Pride has a separate article that focuses on all the quarterbacks participating in practice, so the focus here will be on other positions.
The Raiders need someone who can fill John Jenkins’ role on the interior defensive line. Collins is strong as an ox and can be a gap-plugger in the trenches for Las Vegas as he takes on double teams well. The Texas product may not offer much as a pass rusher though, so the one-on-ones this week will be important for him.
Neal is an explosive athlete who has the potential to be a homerun-hitter out of the backfield. He’s logged over 1,000 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons and has the athleticism to be a factor as a receiver at the next level too. However, the Kansas production has questionable hands, which should be a point of emphasis for him in Mobile.
As an impressive athlete, Bassa has the potential to be a good coverage linebacker in the NFL. He also has good technique when taking on blocks and solid instincts versus the run to develop into a complete player. The Oregon product does need to prove himself at the point of attack against higher competition, though.
Edge might not be at the top of the Raiders’ priority list, but the defense could use a third-down pass rusher if Malcolm Koonce and K’Lavon Chaisson don’t re-sign. That’s where Ezeiruaku comes in as he may not be much of a run defender, but he’s an impressive pass-rusher who has natural bend around the corner.
Knight is a big riser this year and seems to have picked up some steam over the last several months. He has impressive size and moves well to potentially be an every-down contributor in the NFL. The former Gamecock can continue to build his draft stock and increase the buzz with a strong week of practice.
Umanmielen could surprise a lot of people this week. He’s well known for his pass-rush skills, showing the ability to win around the edge and a nasty inside spin move as a counter. But he’s also stronger at the point of attack than most think and can prove to be a complete player by showing out in the full team periods.
