The Las Vegas Raiders selected Oregon guard Jackson Powers-Johnson with the No. 44 pick in Friday’s second round of the NFL Draft.
A standout prep offensive lineman and wrestler in Utah, Powers-Johnson got on the field right away at Oregon as a freshman in 2021, seeing time at both guard spots and making an appearance at defensive tackle due to depth issues. Powers-Johnson was a one-game starter as a sophomore before exploding as a first-team All-American and winning the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football, last season as a true junior.
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Powers-Johnson is a powerhouse athlete, and his base and balance make him difficult to move or decleat inside. He’s also quick enough laterally to not only reach people, but also serve as an effective puller and trapper. Barely 21, Powers-Johnson’s football IQ is beyond his years.
His arms are short, which could be an issue if someone wants to move him to guard. We’ve also really seen just one season of his work at center. Still, it was pretty darn good. But the Raiders announced him as a guard and, after extending center Andre James in the offseason, that would seem to be the plan.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Powers-Johnson ranked No. 23 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Powers-Johnson’s inexperience is reflected in his technique, but he offers a fantastic combination of size, athleticism and toughness, with the skill set that translates to both center and guard. His game reminds me of Ryan Kelly, who won the Rimington at Alabama before becoming a first-round pick in 2016.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous coach had to say about Powers-Johnson in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“Nasty dude. Tough, tough, tough. Extremely powerful. He shocks guys with that pop he has.”
Why he’s a second-round pick
Powers-Johnson’s natural power inside is outstanding and his ability to move at almost 330 pounds is exactly what you want from a center. He’s young, but he’s also going to get better.
Jackson Powers-Johnson just eating a spin from Mike Hall, who is not lacking twitch. 😳 pic.twitter.com/oLSbNzlerm
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) January 31, 2024
Nick Baumgardner grades the pick
The 2023 Rimington winner, Powers-Johnson is a terrific and powerful athlete who showed dominant flashes at the point of attack and in the second level as a run blocker. He dominated the Senior Bowl as just a junior, but there are hiccups here. Powers-Johnson has an injury history (including concussions) and isn’t very long — but this is a very, very tough football player and a guy who will advance the culture. Love this pick.
Grade: A
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Ted Nguyen’s assessment
Tom Telesco doesn’t move around the draft much and watched teams move up and take corners ahead of them, which is the Raiders’ primary need. Instead, he waits and again takes the best player available in Powers-Johnson, who some thought could have been a first-rounder. Powers-Johnson is an absolute mauler who will likely bump out to right guard for the Raiders. He’ss raw but he’ll likely be a Day 1 starter. The Raiders still have a question at right tackle but it’s looking like they’ll have to depend on the third-year player Thayer Munford Jr. developing into a solid starter for them.
How he fits
Powers-Johnson was a unanimous All-American at center last season, but that’s not the only position he can play. He spent time at guard in high school and primarily lined up at right guard through his first two seasons at Oregon. Throughout his time at Oregon, he got a lot of experience in a zone-based blocking scheme, which is what the Raiders will use under offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. Given the Raiders just signed center Andre James to a three-year, $24 million extension this offseason, Powers-Johnson will have to look to compete for a role at guard.
Rookie impact
It’s not the end of the world if Powers-Johnson doesn’t become a starter as a rookie. He’ll only be 21 years old this season and has plenty of time to continue to grow and develop. Still, it’ll be disappointing if he fails to carve out a role as a starting guard by the end of the season.
Depth-chart impact
The Raiders believe they already had one starting-caliber guard in tow in Dylan Parham, but they wanted to bring in someone capable of competing with veteran Cody Whitehair for the other starting spot. Powers-Johnson fits that billing. It’s unclear if Parham will start at left guard or right guard, according to league sources, so Powers-Johnson could end up spending time working at both spots. If Powers-Johnson can beat out Whitehair throughout OTAs and training camp, he’ll give the Raiders an interior offensive line trio they can depend on moving forward alongside Parham and James.
They also could have picked …
The Raiders’ most glaring needs were quarterback, offensive tackle and cornerback, but the players available at those positions weren’t rated well below Powers-Johnson on their draft board. Plus, while guard may not be considered a premium position, it is a roster need. The Raiders effectively took the best player available and filled a need with this pick.
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Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., guard Cooper Beebe, defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia, cornerback Mike Sainristil, guard Christian Hayes, quarterback Spencer Rattler, cornerback T.J. Tampa, guard Dominick Puni, offensive tackle Patrick Paul, defensive tackle Michael Hall Jr. or cornerback Andru Phillips were among the available options. Ultimately, they opted for Powers-Johnson.
Fast evaluation
For the second straight pick, the Raiders took the highest-rated player available on Brugler’s big board. Powers-Johnson was ranked No. 23, so this is excellent value based on his evaluation. Powers-Johnson should have a strong chance of immediately becoming a starting guard, and he could transition to center at some point down the road.
(Photo: Steven Bisig / USA Today)