Raiders’ draft 2024: Interior offensive line prospects that suit ill intent mantra

Las Vegas can find potential starters, depth pieces during the NFL Draft

Dylan Parham. He’s the lone guard currently on the Las Vegas Raiders roster that has more than 100 snaps at the position group along the offensive line.

The other two guards on the roster — Jordan Meredith and Ben Brown — played sparingly in comparison. Meredith appeared in 17 games for the Raiders in 2023 with one start and played a total of 92 snaps. Brown, on the other hand, played in one game for the Seattle Seahawks this past season and had eight total snaps.

If that isn’t the biggest tell the Silver & Black are poised to bring in more talent at the particular position group, I don’t know what is.

Parham played in 100 percent of the team’s offensive snaps (1,042) at left guard and was a mainstay up front in 2023. And the third-round pick (90th overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft is again expected to be a core member on the Raiders offensive line this coming season. On the other side of the line, veteran Greg Van Roten was the starter at right guard and played in 1,025 snaps (98 percent of the offensive total), and is an unrestricted free agent at age 34.

Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images

Las Vegas could always go back to the Van Roten well at some point — or another veteran on the free agent market, for that matter — but it appears the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft is where reinforcements at the guard position are slated to come. And that’s not a bad play if the Raiders intend to go this route.

There’s prospects that fil the ill intent mantra head coach Antonio Pierce wants from his desert marauders from the opening round to the later stanzas. And if they’re available when Las Vegas is on the clock, they’d be intriguing options to bolster a position group that’s very light in terms of personnel.

The Prospects

Early Round

Cooper Beebe, Kansas State. A stout 6-foot-3, 322-pound prospect, Beebe is a very powerful offensive lineman who displays the footwork that makes him a fit for a gap or zone blocking scheme. He can anchor with his strength and once he latches on, he keeps defenders at bay. Beebe’s shorter arms may be seen as a drawback, but he has high football IQ, vicious power and a finisher’s mentality that give him the profile of a mean-streak guard. Sounds like an ideal Pierce lineman. One of the areas of concern with Beebe is his light experience on the right side. He’s started 26 games at left guard, 13 at left tackle, and nine at right. He has no starts at right guard — the questionable spot on Las Vegas’ offensive line.

Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Christian Haynes, Connecticut. This 6-foot-3, 317-pounder profiles similarly to Parham did when the latter came out of Memphis. Hayes doesn’t have the ideal frame and he can get bullied by power bull rushers, but his retention is extremely high and so are his fundamentals. Hayes finisher mentality shows up when he’s asked to move or pull in the run game and he looks to drive defenders into the ground. He may get beat, but Hayes always looks for more. His attitude, mentality, mobility, and strength makes Hayes a prime candidate to outplay his draft slotting (second- to third-round prospect). He’s played in 51 career games with all of them (including 49 starts) coming at right guard.

Mid Round

Christian Mahogany, Boston College. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds one of the most apt ways to describe Mahogany is this: He’s a bouncer that’s rabid to throw rowdy people out of the club. A brute that can anchor in pass protection and steam roll in the run game, Mahogany brings overbearing power and viciousness to displace defenders. He does have bad habits and can lunge at defenders and miss and his frenetic energy can result in unrefined chaos. But get that under control and Mahogany can be a pure mauler at right guard — a spot where he’s had 23 starts (11 at left guard).

Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Sataoa Laumea, Utah. A well-built 6-foot-4 and 319 pounds, Laumea is well-versed in zone blocking scheme and gap concepts showcasing the ability to smoothly move despite his size. His footwork combines with his natural power making Laumea an agile pass protector and run blocker. His power shows up well on initial contact, however, its his shorter arms (33 inches) that allow larger defenders to get him off balance. This led to him losing anchor but that can be refined with further coaching. Laumea’s entire collegiate career was on the right side (26 starts at right tackle, 18 at right guard).

Late Round

Zak Minter, Michigan. A physical prospect at 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds, Minter was a stout presence in Jim Harbaugh’s power scheme for the Wolverines. If it weren’t for a series of lower-body injuries, Minter would be seen in a higher-profile light. How a team views his medical report will determine how high or low Minter goes. But he is a dependable blocker when available as he played 45 games (42 start) at right guard at Michigan. Minter is also very smart, physical, and a leader in the locker room.

Layden Robinson, Texas. A pure-power prospect at 6-foot-3 and 302 pounds, Robinson greets bull rush with one of his own. He’s a very tough interior blocker who can anchor and bull doze, but that ruggedness comes with the lack of mobility. His ability as a drive blocker is in question at the NFL level but the shockwave Robinson provide when he gets hands on defenders can’t be denied. If a team can develop his movement skills while he can maintain the brute force killer instinct, Robinson can be a steal in the later rounds.