Raiders GM Tom Telesco on draft: 'We could use a little bit of help everywhere' 

The Las Vegas Raiders will have a new general manager making the final decisions on draft day for the third time in four years.

Tom Telesco, GM, is an experienced hand in the draft, having devoted the last 11 seasons to constructing the roster of the Los Angeles Chargers. As he approaches his inaugural draft with the Raiders, he is aware of the many gaps that need to be filled.

“We could use a little bit of help everywhere,” Telesco said on Monday, via Tashan Reed of The Athletic. “I don’t think any position is precluded from being drafted this year.”

The Raiders’ roster has gaps in several positions, such as quarterback, corner, offensive tackle, and wide receiver, as well as a need for more depth in the interior O-line.

The most glaring hole is at quarterback, where Vegas currently has Aidan O’Connell and veteran Gardner Minshew atop the depth chart. To acquire one of the top signal-callers would require a leap up the board from their current No. 13 position.

Telesco, on Monday, affirmed the prevailing discussion in which practically every general manager claims to be open to all possibilities.

“Breaking news: GM has indicated his willingness to trade up, move back, and pick at his spot,” stated Telesco. “Everyone always says the same thing.”

It’s a safe assumption to say Telesco won’t trade back. Throughout his tenure with the Chargers, he has never once traded back in any round. He has, however, traded up four times, including once in the first round.

If Telesco is not prepared to make a significant trade to acquire a quarterback, it’s probable that the Raiders will wait and see who is available to them at No. 13. The GM needs to fill multiple gaps in the team and will allow his draft board to guide decisions, instead of limiting options to specific positions, particularly as the draft progresses.

Telesco explained that the players are being drafted with a focus on their future potential, rather than immediate impact in their rookie year. He noted that historically, less than a third, or around 30 percent, of rookies play a substantial amount of time in their first year. He clarified that they’re not just considering current needs, but also future requirements when drafting players.