Raiders Draft G Dylan Parham at No. 90 in the Third Round

Due to the Davante Adams trade, the Las Vegas Raiders had no picks in the first or second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. This led to their first pick being near the end of the third round at pick #86. However, as the pick was drawing near, the Titans traded their 90th and 169th overall picks for the Raider’s 86th pick. With this new pick, the Titans ended up drafting quarterback prospect Malik Willis out of Liberty. When the Raiders’ turn was up, they locked the pick in immediately. The Raiders would proceed to draft Dylan Parham, a 6-foot-3, 311-pound guard from the University of Memphis.

Dylan Parham’s Value

This selection comes with good value for the Raiders. For many analysts, Parham is a top-five prospect at his position. In addition to being able to draft him all the way in the third round, the Raiders were able to gain another fifth-round pick.

Blocking Skillset

This new Raider offers the ability to cover a huge need: pass blocking. He didn’t allow a single sack in all 545 pass-protection snaps over the 2021 season. This ability is helped by his high-end agility and speed. His run blocking is great, as well. His insanely quick feet allow him to drive defenders back and help when he’s pulling. During the regular season, he lacked a firm anchor and would get stood up a lot. To address this issue, he went from 285 pounds to 310 pounds at the Senior Bowl. It was there where he was able to showcase his strength and balance against bigger defenders.

High School Athlete

In high school, Parham was a two-star defensive end and was recruited to Memphis as a tight end. Parham also competed in his high school’s track and field team, and not the typical discus or shotput that most offensive linemen do; he did the triple jump and various sprinting events. Due to this versatility, the Memphis coaching staff moved him to the offensive line where he would find a home at right guard. To make this transition, Parham had to undergo an intensive bulk that would see him gaining 56 pounds in four years.

Overall, the Raiders’ new braintrust of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler has already made impressive moves to build up the roster and they continue to do so. With this excellent pick kicking off their draft, and five picks on Day 3, the Raiders should be more than excited to see what happens next with the rest of the draft.