Meet the Raiders’ five picks from the final day of the NFL Draft

By Case Keefer (contact)

Published Saturday, April 29, 2023 | 9 a.m.

Updated Saturday, April 29, 2023 | 4:59 p.m.

The Raiders’ front office approached the last day of the NFL Draft in a fashion it hopes its new players will employ on the field — an aggressive one.

Las Vegas came into Saturday’s final four rounds of a “foundational” draft with eight picks, but it only ended up making five selections. That’s because the Raiders didn’t hesitate to use their surplus of draft capital to trade up and land three targets with their first three Day 3 picks.

Maryland cornerback Jakorian Bennett (No. 104 overall pick), Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell (No. 135 overall pick) and Georgia safety Christopher Smith (No. 170 overall pick) all heard their names called to Las Vegas early in the day. They all fit needs for the Raiders, and all were players general manager Dave Ziegler felt strongly enough about to give away future picks to ensure their services.

“You take some calculated risks and gambles and sometimes we’ll look back and say we probably drafted a guy, some guys a handful of spots too early and I think there’s probably other teams that feel the same way,” Ziegler said in a news conference after the draft. “It’s a really difficult part of the process and draft trying to gauge all that. We put a lot of effort into it and try to do the best we can.”

Las Vegas stayed in place for its last two picks, nabbing Florida linebacker Amari Burney in the sixth round with the 203^rd overall pick and Arizona State defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera in the seventh round with the 231^st overall pick.

That meant their tally for the 2023 NFL draft wound up six defensive players to three offensive players. It was a minor surprise that they split their first four picks, on the first two days of the draft, between offensive and defensive players but Saturday’s heavy defensive bent knocked the ratio back into a more expected place.

“There was a defensive focus going in, or a hope that it was going to be a defensive-focus, but you never really know how a board is going to go and players you are going to lose out on,” Ziegler said. “There was a player or two that we were targeting that did get picked a couple picks before we were going to take them a time or two…but yes, when maybe there were some things that were close here today, we leaned a little bit more heavily to the defensive side.”

Meet the five newest Raiders taken to conclude the 2023 NFL draft below. Stories on the players taken in the first three rounds are available here.

Jakorian Bennett, cornerback, Maryland (fourth round, 104^th overall pick)

6-foot, 185 pounds

Quick scout: One of the fastest defensive backs in the draft, the Mobile, Ala. native showed an innate ability to stick with receivers and create big plays in man coverage the last two seasons. He banked five interceptions and 21 passes break-ups in the span.

Where he fits: Despite being a third-day pick, Bennett could start immediately with a strong training camp. Cornerback is the weakest position group on the Raiders’ roster with no one outside of Nate Hobbs having really separated themselves.

What he said: “Speed is one of my biggest strengths — that and versatility. Having speed in your back pocket is one of the bigger things to help me out. Speed kills, that’s what everyone says. I think it makes a receiver’s job tougher, knowing he has to beat me with routes instead of vertically."

Aidan O’Connell, quarterback, Purdue (fourth round, 135^th overall pick)

6-foot-3, 213 pounds

Quick scout: A former walk-on with the Boilermakers, O’Connell worked his way up the roster en route to taking over as a full-time starter in his final two seasons. He’s highly accurate with a quick release but not very mobile, not unlike current quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Where he fits: He’ll be either the primary backup or emergency option to Garoppolo while studying under veteran Brian Hoyer, who was also signed as a free agent this offseason.

What he said: “(Raiders coach Josh McDaniels) is a great offensive mind. I just can’t wait to get out there, get the playbook and start learning. I love to learn about football, love to talk about football so I’m just excited to pick (McDaniels’) brain along with the other coaches.”

Christopher Smith, safety, Georgia (fifth round, 170^th overall pick)

5-foot-11, 192 pounds

Quick scout: Not as much of an immediate standout as some of his Georgia teammates that have been drafted over the last two years, Smith was more of a program staple who worked hard to climb his way up the depth chart. It all paid off over his final two seasons as he started for a pair of national championship teams and regularly made plays on the ball in coverage with six total interceptions including one in the 2022 College Football Playoff national championship game.

Where he fits: The Raiders will likely start former Eagles, free-agent acquisition Marcus Epps and third-year player Tre’von Moehrig at the safety spots, but Smith could push the latter if he gets up to NFL speed quickly. He could also be the third safety on the depth chart or just contribute on special teams as a rookie.  

What he said: “I think the main component to continue being a winner is consistency. That’s something that was really built into us at Georgia. And not being complement…I think those are the two main components to winning. That’s something I learned very early on at Georgia and something that should translate to the NFL.”

Amari Burney, linebacker, Florida (sixth round, 203^rd pick)

6-foot-2, 233 pounds

Quick scout: A linchpin of the Gators’ defense over the last five years, Burney is regarded as a sure-tackler who’s also capable of not being totally outclassed in coverage. He actually arrived at Florida as a prized cornerback recruit before moving into a more hybrid linebacker role.

Where he fits: Like Bennett, Burney could play right away. The Raiders are thin at linebacker with free-agent acquisition Robert Spillane and third-year player Divine Deablo leading the way but not much proven production behind that pair. As a sixth-round pick, however, he may have to earn his way onto the roster and could wind up on the practice squad if he’s not ready.  

What he said: “I feel like, when I’m in coverage, you don’t have to double the guy I’m covering. I can be very effective. I had the best hands on Florida last year. My hands are great. I used to play receiver.”

Nesta Jade Silvera, defensive tackle, Arizona State (seventh round, 231^st pick)

6-foot-2, 304 pounds

Quick scout: Not all that unlike third-round pick Byron Young out of Alabama, Silvera is primarily a run-stuffer with some pass rushing upside. A South Florida native, he spent three seasons at the nearby University of Miami before transferring to Arizona State for his final season.  

Where he fits: It may be a challenge for Silvera to make the initial roster considering how many defensive linemen the Raiders have already inked. It won’t be impossible, but he may need to beat out players like second-year draftees Neil Farrell or Matthew Butler to secure a spot. If he fails to do so, Silvera could spend next season on the practice squad.   

What he said: “The biggest strength to my game is my tenacity. I’m bringing it every play. I’m going full-force every play. That’s my game.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or