Raiders Draft 2024: Reinforcements up front on Day 2

Las Vegas lands a monster in Jackson Powers-Johnson in 2nd round; reaches a bit for Delmar Glaze in 3rd

In the day and age of coach speak where both head coaches and general managers tend to say a whole lot of nothing during the offseason media circuits, Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco gave us the truth of the matter.

Both the Las Vegas Raiders head coach and general manager, respectively, told us back in February at the NFL Combine what they wanted to do come draft time.

“Our offensive line has a lot of holes,” Telesco noted at the event in Indianapolis. “We have to figure that all out. It’s going to be a collaborative effort among the coaching staff and personnel staff to get this thing moving.”

“I would like to build this team — I think me and Telesco see it the same way — in the trenches,” Pierce similarly said. “We can go and get skill guys and get the quarterback. But, hell, if nobody’s blocking for ’em, what does it matter? I would love to see us really be sound up front.”

That big tell two months ago means we shouldn’t be at all surprised by what Telesco did during Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft. On a mission to become solid up front, the Raiders double dipped in the offensive lineman prospect pool by taking a Oregon brute Jackson Powers-Johnson with the 44th overall pick in the second round and then Maryland’s Delmar Glaze with the 77th overall pick in the third round.

Let’s take a look:

No. 44: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Guard/Center, Oregon: Announced as a guard when Raiders legend Jim Plunkett had the task of calling out the pick, this is one mean Duck. Standing 6-foot-3 and 328 pounds, Powers-Johnson is both a philosophical and schematic fit in Las Vegas. He has the ill intent and mean streak Pierce seeks from his Raiders and his tenure at Oregon gives him the zone scheme experience — something that’s likely to be ever present under new Raiders offensive line boss James Cregg.

While he was the Ducks’ 13-game starter at the pivot, Powers-Johnson brings with him the combination of size, speed, and mental and physical toughness to play center and/or slide over to guard. He did start 2 games at right guard and another at left guard with a diverse snap count: 893 at center, 430 at right guard, and 27 at left guard.

The jump from the Pac-12 to the NFL will be a big one but Powers-Johnson has the competitiveness to meet the challenge head on. In fact, when faced with adversity from defenders, he met that with his own fortitude and nastiness. Which makes him an ample player for the Raiders as Powers-Johnson can immediately jump into the fray and compete for the opening at right guard.

No. 77: Delmar Glaze, Tackle/Guard, Maryland: Unlike the Raiders’ selections of tight end Brock Bowers at No. 13 overall and Powers-Johnson in the second round, this Terp offensive lineman falls in the reach category. Which is kind of ironic (or fitting) considering Glaze’s wingspan is a massive 82 ³⁄₄ inches — nearly a seven-foot wing.

Glaze is a position versatile prospect with 17 starts at right tackle and 15 at left tackle in the 40 career games he’s played at Maryland. But leading up the draft, he’s profiled as a guard more than a tackle. But Glaze was announced as a tackle. Las Vegas’ right tackle spot is unsettled and the 6-foot-4, 315 pound Glaze has the physical tools to make a run at the position. He does a good job of mirroring defenders and when he sets his anchor, he’s difficult to move. Glaze also moves well which bodes well for the scheme Cregg is going to install in the desert.

But Glaze can get too handsy at times and grab in pressure situations and he has a tendency to become imbalanced and pushed over due to footwork issues. He’ll also need to coordinate his feet with his hands with proper coaching as he can be late with both. However, the run on offensive tackles forced the Raiders’ hand to snag Glaze in the third, lest they lose him to someone else (even if his projection was a fourth-round prospect).

Silver Linings: Strength between both Powers-Johnson and Glazer shouldn’t be in question as the prospects had 30 and 29 reps in the 225 bench press at the combine… The Raiders using their first three draft picks on offense was a little surprising, but Telesco did note when he was hired the defense was ahead of where the offense was… Las Vegas has five more selections in Day 3 of the draft with two coming in the seventh round.