NFLThe Oakland Raiders…no, wait. That’s not right. The LAS VEGAS Raiders enter the 2020-2021 NFL season full of hope. After the Antonio Brown disaster, no one expected much from this AFC West team. All in all, last season could have been much worse for the Las Vegas squad. The 2020 Raiders draft to build off the gains from the previous season, launching Las Vegas into playoff contention. What will they need to make this transformation? Well, that’s what I am here to discuss with you!
2020 Draft Needs
The Raiders are loaded at a couple of different positions. At quarterback, they have Carr, Mariota, Kizer, and Peterman. Their backfield includes Jacobs, Richard, and Smith. Waller and Witten will be more than serviceable at tight end. First, the top priority has to be wide receiver. The two biggest names for the Raiders at wide receiver are Nelson Agholor and Hunter Renfrow.
While neither is a terrible receiver, Renfrow and Agholor are not cornerstones of a franchise. Once they have their next star at wideout, focus for the Raiders to shift to defense. Las Vegas needs a cornerback, a linebacker, and a defensive lineman.
The team has seven picks to fill these holes, including two first-round picks. Also, the Raiders pick back-to-back in the third round, which makes up for the lack of a second-round pick. Now, I will discuss who would be good options for Las Vegas.
2020 Raiders Mock Draft
In the first round, the Raiders pick 12th and 19th. While Gruden could use both picks to move up in the first round, I don’t think he will. With the needs of Las Vegas, they are in prime position to continue rebuilding. At 12 and 19, the Raiders have their pick of a talented crop of college receivers. Jerry Jeudy is likely to be off the board, but Ruggs III, Justin Jefferson, and CeeDee Lamb should all be available. The focus for Las Vegas has to be either Lamb or Ruggs III.
CeeDee Lamb is the taller of the two receivers at 6’2”, but Henry Ruggs III has a definite speed advantage with a blazing 4.27 40. Besides, Ruggs III makes up for his lack of height with a 42” vertical jump. Even though Lamb’s vertical jump is shorter, his long arms work well with his height in jump ball situations. Some team will trade up to take Lamb, which leaves Ruggs for Las Vegas. However, that’s hardly a dropoff for the Raiders. Ruggs will be a quality addition to their team.
With the 19th pick, the Raiders have a choice between two LSU teammates to fill two big holes on defense. K’Lavon Chaisson has a lot of upsides, but I think the obvious choice is Patrick Queen. Queen has the size and speed to be a quality NFL linebacker. His 4.5 speed would help with coverage out of the backfield. Patrick’s 6 foot, 229-pound frame makes him a great run stuffer as well. Furthermore, Queen would bring some excitement to a lackluster linebacking core for the team.
In the third round, the Raiders pick 16th, 17th, and 27th. With no picks in the second round, they will have a lot of ground to cover. With the 16th pick, a likely target for Las Vegas could be Troy Pride Jr. out of Norte Dame. Pride Jr. has elite speed, superior jumping skills, and adequate size to compete at the pro level. Next, Bradlee Anae would be a wise choice for the Raiders at defensive end.
The senior from Utah has the proverbial high-motor. Couple that with Bradlee’s size and strength (6’3”, 257 pounds, and 25 reps bench press reps), he has the potential to be a starter very soon in the NFL. With their last pick in the third round, I think Las Vegas should take Trey Adams out of Washington. Adams is not going to be a first-year starter, but he adds much-needed depth to that offensive line.
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