Raiders’ Latest Roster Shakeup Could Pave the Way for Surprise Draft Pick—Is a Highly-Touted Prospect About to Join the Silver and Black?

For the last month, the Las Vegas Raiders felt like one of the easiest teams to predict in the NFL Draft.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has felt like the obvious choice with the sixth overall pick for the Raiders. The pick does make sense; the Raiders had the worst rushing offense in the league in 2024, and Jeanty has been regarded as arguably the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley. The stars were aligned perfectly for new general manager John Spytek’s first draft to be an easy decision.

After the recent roster decision by the Raiders, however, the competition for that selection is heating up once again.

The release of cornerback Jack Jones has opened up a different option for the Raiders.

While the Raiders have made moves to add to the secondary depth, they still lack a true top cornerback. Free agent addition Eric Stokes is a reclamation project, while younger players like Jakorian Bennett and Decamerion Richardson project more as complementary pieces than shutdown cornerbacks. With the AFC West loaded with strong quarterbacks, finding a top cornerback to cover their opponents’ top weapons is imperative.

Michigan cornerback Will Johnson is one such option the Raiders could pursue in the draft.

“Teams love big, fluid cornerbacks with ball production and that is exactly what Johnson offers,” wrote NFL analyst Lance Zierlein in his scouting report. “He’s instinctive and plays with good body control and change of direction in space. He can play man coverage, but he’s at his best when playing with his eyes forward instead of chasing routes downfield.”

Johnson has the traits Carroll has traditionally coveted from his defensive backs, making him a good fit for the Raiders’ new-look defense. The team has already shown interest in the Michigan product, as Michigan beat writer Dave Birkett reported that Johnson was scheduled to have a visit with the Raiders.