Trade up, standing pat at No. 13 or trading down is on the table
Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco held his pre-draft press conference Monday and he said this:
- The Raiders are prepared to be “aggressive” if they have to and trade up to the top of the draft.
- The Raiders are prepared to keep their current pick and select a player at No. 13.
- The Raiders are prepared to trade down to “a certain range” in the first round.
In other words, everything is on the table for the franchise as we reach the final stretch to Thursday’s first round, which begins at 5 p.m. PT.
Telesco’s stance is not surprising. That’s the approach he has to take. The team is prepared for anything and will see how the draft plays out.
Of course, the team would be interested in a trade to the top of the draft to take a premier quarterback talent. But it won’t be easy. So, keeping the No. 13 pick or even taking a short slide down the first round has to be considered by Telesco this week.
The New England Patriots are listening and taking calls from teams looking to move into 3.
While GM Eliot Wolf is running point, I’m told Patriots’ President Jonathan Kraft is heavily involved in the decision making.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 22, 2024
Here are some other highlights of his presser:
- We’re all aware of the report that Telesco and Raiders coach Antonio Pierce are at odds at what to do in the first round (the report stated that the coach wants a big trade for a quarterback and Telesco wants veterans Gardner Minshew and Aidan OConnell to compete for the job). Yet, Telesco was very complimentary of Pierce in this draft process. He said Pierce has a clear view of the type of player he wants for his program and it has made Telesco and his staff’s job much easier as they search for players. “If you want to be part of us, you have to fit us,” Telesco said.
- Telesco said there has been some basic chatter with other teams but that’s not unusual.
- Telesco said the NIL world may have affected the depth of draft as more players may be staying in school longer. He noted that’s a good thing overall because it allows kids to get more of an education and to hone their football craft more before entering the NFL.
- Telesco said his main goal is to select eight players (that is the current number of Raiders’ picks and that may change he noted) that they think fit with the team. He knows not all of them will pan out but that’s the goal. He also said the players are being drafted for a minimum of four-five years, so the draft is really designed to succeed for the future.
- Telesco is impressed by the work of the scouting department that he inherited. Often, when a new general manager comes, there is big changes to the scouting staff after the draft. We shall see what happens in Las Vegas. but it seems like Telesco is pleased.
- Telesco said Pierce’s recent experience as a coach at Arizona State has helped the draft process because he has coached, recruited or coached against several prospects.
- Every position is on the table. Telesco said you just never know when a need develops and he used the example of drafting Keenan Allen in 2013 when the Chargers didn’t have a need for a receiver at the time. Yet, his value was too good and we all know how that worked out.
- Telesco said if the draft room is not on agreement on a certain player, they will simply just walk away from the player to make it simple. That’s interesting and I think it’s a good way to keep peace and focus during the draft process.
- Telesco loves that many Raiders players have been working out at the team facility virtually all offseason. He said that continues momentum from a strong finish to last season and it’s a testament of what Pierce is building with the roster.
- Telesco expects the team to be aggressive when it comes to signing undrafted free agents and he said several will get a chance to make the 53-man roster.
- This is a big offseason for the 2023 Raiders’ draft class and Telesco is excited to see how players like pass-rusher Tyree Wilson (the No. 7 overall pick) and cornerback Jakorian Bennett (a fourth-round pick) develop this year.
- Telesco opened the presser by remembering the late John Clayton and Chris Mortensen. Very classy move.