Three non-quarterbacks the Las Vegas Raiders need to keep their eye on during the 2025 NFL Combine
The Las Vegas Raiders are en route to Indianapolis, Indiana, where the 2025 NFL Draft Combine is held at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. But this week, it's where college players will prove they have the tangibles and even intangibles to make the NFL. For the Raiders, they will be watching […]
The Las Vegas Raiders are en route to Indianapolis, Indiana, where the 2025 NFL Draft Combine is held at Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. But this week, it's where college players will prove they have the tangibles and even intangibles to make the NFL.
For the Raiders, they will be watching the quarterbacks closely. We all know that they need a franchise quarterback. The last two years of bridge quarterbacks just have not gone well at all. I'm a firm believer that the same will happen if they pursue a guy like Sam Darnold, who, admittedly had an amazing season with the Minnesota Vikings last year. But, it has Jimmy Garoppolo/Gardner Minshew fall-off written all over it.
So we know they will be active on Saturday, March 1 when the quarterbacks go. But, they have more than just one need. In fact, this roster is far from competing in the postseason. They have a lot of work to do, and it starts in the draft. You want to build a homegrown team, and you do that by drafting great on all three days.
We know their needs, but who are the three biggest names they should be watching this week in terms of positional needs combined with tangible and intangible intrigue?
Three players Raiders should be watching at the 2025 NFL Combine
Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson
The Philadelphia Eagles gave everyone the recipe to dominating the Kansas City Chiefs, and honestly, it starts with the trenches, on both sides of the ball. The Raiders pretty much have the defensive side of the trenches down. But, they need help on the interior offensive line, and I believe they will do that in this draft. However, they may want to take a versatile guy.
With DJ Glaze still having a lot of unknown surrounding in him regarding if he can be a starting right tackle in this league, the Raiders may want to get a guy who can play that position, too, if needed. Donovan Jackson is a career offensive guard, but when Ohio State's left tackle went out with an injury, Jackson bumped to the outside and played tremendously. The combine will be a good way to get a better look at his measurables.
Ole Miss WR Tre Harris
The Raiders need more weapons around whoever the quarterback will be for 2025. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers can't be the only reliable guys. And yes, I know that Tre Tucker showed some flashes of promise, but the Raiders need more wide receivers regardless. This is not counting Tucker out, but they need more bodies. Tre Harris may not be the exact type of wide receiver the Raiders need, but he's a guy who is being mocked all over the place right now.
People don't really know if he's a second-rounder or a third-rounder, and, despite the fit, if he's there in the third round, the Raiders have to take a swing at him. He is that good. But, watching his combine could help tell the story or paint the picture of if he will be a second-rounder or not.
Ohio State RBs TreVeyon Henderson/Quinshon Judkins
The Raiders cannot enter the season with the same exact running back room they had last year. If they do, the running game will look exactly the same as it did last year — one of the worst in the entire league. I definitely expect them to target a running back in the draft, whether that's on Day 2 or Day 3 is still to be determined.
However, targeting one of the two elite running backs that Ohio State had last year under Chip Kelly would probably be a pretty smart thing to do. But, some measurables and intangible things will determine which of the two is the better fit.
Three of the biggest positions the Las Vegas Raiders need to watch the closest at the 2025 NFL Draft Combine
They need to be paying attention.
