Raiders selected Arizona State DT Nesta Jade Silvera with the No. 231 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The second-rated DL from the 2018 prep cycle, Silvera (6’2/311) is the type of defensive lineman that will slowly get under the skin of his opponents. The top-heavy one tech shows impressive get-off ability as he regularly slips by blockers at the snap. Once in the backfield, the Miami transfer does a good job of working laterally to widen the play and close down any attempts at penetrating the interior. This quickness is well utilized even when blockers can get out of their stance fast enough, as his zip at the snap makes him look like a bowling ball when he bounces between blocks on his way to the backfield. He needs to learn how to deconstruct blocks better, as any lineman that can square him up has a good chance of holding Silvera up for the entire play. But his 80th percentile Broad Jump and 10-yard split highlight the explosion that Silvera can provide on the interior. Expect him to play a shaded technique where he can quickly penetrate a single gap and chase the ball carrier.