Silver Minings: Mel Kiper delivers for Las Vegas

The countdown to the 2023 NFL draft is down to 15 days and the mock drafts are pouring in.

Tuesday, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. dropped a two-round mock draft. If the Las Vegas Raiders deliver the way Kiper did, the Raider Nation will likely be pretty happy.

In the first round, Kiper gave Las Vegas Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon. In the second round, Florida tabbed Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence.

Both Witherspoon and Torrence would fill need positions and both very likely would be instant starters.

That’s the goal for real Raiders’ general manager Dave Ziegler in this draft — to fill needs and to find starters.

So, Kiper did pretty well here.

In other Raiders’ news:

• Mock pod: Sports Illustrated has a Raiders’ mock draft podcast.
• Remembering a legend: The Raiders’ website honor the late John Madden during his birthday week.
• Mail call: The Las Vegas Review-Journal has a Raiders’ mailbag.