The Las Vegas Raiders have been in this position before. A new head coach, optimism tied to the upcoming NFL Draft, and expectations that the franchise is about to turn a corner. A similar wave existed in 2018 when Mark Davis brought Jon Gruden back to lead the organization (first two years in Oakland before moving to Las Vegas in 2020). However, his second stint with the Raiders turned out to be a total bust.

The reasons were plenty, including trading key veterans like Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. But one reason stood out: The draft process. This week, Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported that Gruden relied on what staffers described as “kill tapes” for prospects he did not favor.

“Gruden strolled through the doors in Oakland in 2018 with undisputed authority, and if he wasn’t in on a prospect, former staffers remember, he’d have one of his assistants compile a short video cut-up of the player’s worst snaps, then show it to all the scouts,” Keefer wrote. ‘”It wasn’t reflecting of all the work you did…You can make a player look any way you want. You can make Tom Brady look like a bum.'”

Top Stories

NFL

“Completely Innocent”: Mike Vrabel & Dianna Russini Issue Public Statements After Hotel Photos Controversy

2 days ago

NFL

FOX Sports Shuts Down Major Service Amid Growing Pressure Over NFL’s Broadcast Antitrust Exemption

1 day ago

NFL

Chiefs Super Bowl Champ Joins NFC Rival After Being Cut by Andy Reid & Front Office

1 day ago

NFL

Cowboys Legend Michael Irvin Names Miami QB as Ideal Heir Apparent to Dak Prescott

1 day ago

Widget1

Widget2

Widget3

Widget4

Inside the building, that dynamic created an imbalance. Scouts invested their time evaluating a prospect, did extensive research, but those efforts carried limited weight. Younger scouts rarely challenged the process, and even experienced voices had limited influence.

Part of that structure stemmed from front office changes, where Reggie McKenzie was replaced by Mike Mayock, who, as described, was not positioned to counter Gruden’s authority.

The outcomes reflected those structural issues. Gruden oversaw four drafts during his second tenure, with the 2019 and 2020 classes standing out for underperformance.

In 2019, the Raiders held three first-round picks, but the returns did not align with expectations. Gruden chose to draft Clemson edge Clelin Ferrell despite the internal pushback. For a broader context, the initial plan was to trade back and select Ferrell later. But the team adjusted on the clock.

Since then, Ferrell failed to live up to the top-5 pick hype and has been bouncing around the league ever since leaving the Raiders.

Similarly, the Raiders selected safety Johnathan Abram with the 27th overall pick. While he had a solid season in 2021, where he recorded 116 tackles, the Raiders declined his fifth-year option. And after becoming a free agent, Abram failed to find long-term stability. The pattern was clear that high draft investments did not translate into retained core players.

The 2020 draft followed a similar process. The Raiders needed a defensive back and ultimately picked Damon Arnette in the first round. Fast forward to 2024, and Sports Illustrated’s Hondo Carpenter reported that Gruden influenced the decision to pick Arnette more than Mayock.

“I know of, I’m going to guess close to 10 teams in which Damon Arnette was not even on their board,” Carpenter said. “Mayock was not a big Arnette guy, but Gruden wanted him.”

That said, the Raiders cycled through roster changes while struggling to offset those moves through free agency and the draft. By 2021, the internal strain had escalated to the point where the organization was effectively divided heading into the draft.

When the coaching staff and scouts worked separately during Jon Gruden’s tenure

During Jon Gruden’s tenure as the Raiders’ head coach, he had 51% power while Mike Mayock operated with 49%. However, the balance between the HC and the GM started to break down ahead of the 2021 draft. Following the past two disappointing draft processes, both sides developed separate draft boards. Gruden and his coaching staff operated independently from Mayock and the scouting department.

At the end, of course, the two boards reflected entirely different evaluations.

“By 2021, the building started to splinter. The Raiders were now in a sparkling new facility in Las Vegas, where the coaches worked on one side of the building, the scouts another,” Keefer added. “An old Al Davis maxim designed to prevent them from ‘buddying up,’ one former staffer said. The result was two separate draft boards, one stacked by Gruden and the coaches, the second by Mayock and the scouts. Confusion reigned.”

That lack of alignment translated directly into outcomes. Mark Davis had brought Gruden on a ten-year, $100 million deal. However, the coach lasted barely four seasons. He led the Raiders to a 22-21 record during his tenure. In that stretch, the franchise finished fourth, third, and second in the AFC West over his first three seasons before he resigned during the 2021 season.

Since then, the Raiders have struggled to find stability. This year, however, feels different. For starters, Tom Brady is now involved as a minority owner, the franchise is evaluating national champion Fernando Mendoza in the draft, and Kirk Cousins has been brought in as a veteran presence.

As for the leadership, the Raiders have moved on from Pete Carroll and have brought Klint Kubiak after his Super Bowl run as a coordinator. Structurally, the expectations mirror those from 2018. The difference now lies in whether the organization can translate that setup into sustained results.