With the another NFL Combine in the books and free agency right around the corner, the 2020 NFL Draft is just a little over a month away. The Las Vegas Raiders own the 12th and 19th picks in the first round. After trading away their second-round pick to the Chicago Bears pick in the Khalil Mack trade, expect Raiders General Manager Mike Mayock to recoup that pick.
Raiders Mock: Let the trades begin
1st Round
12th overall, TRADE. In this transaction, the Buccaneers trade up for the Raiders first pick in the draft and in return, they receive Tampa’s first selection (14th overall) and second rounder (45th overall).
With the 14th overall pick, Las Vegas select:
Jerry Jeudy, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Even though the defense needs an infusion of talent, head coach Jon Gruden pounds the table for the best route runner in the class. Despite the fact general Mike Mayock was clear about how you can find wide receiver talent at any point in the draft, you can’t pass on a guy like Jeudy. It doesn’t hurt that he ran a 4.45 at the combine.
Other possibilities: CeeDee Lamb, wide receiver from Oklahoma and Jeff Okudah, cornerback from Ohio State. Lamb and Okudah may slide due to quarterback and offensive tackle needs by other teams in the top 11 picks.
Related: Isaiah Simmons or Kenneth Murray? Raiders tough choice
19th Overall, TRADE. Raiders trade their second pick in the first round (19th overall) to the Bills for their first selection (22nd overall) and a second rounder (54th Overall). With the 22nd overall pick, the Raiders Select:
Patrick Queen, Linebacker, LSU
Did you know that Khalil Mack (2014), Rolando McClain (2010), Napoleon Harris (2002) and Rob Fredrickson (1994) are the only linebackers that that Raiders have EVER drafted in the first round? Queen should be number five. Many people will wonder why not Oklahoma’s Kenneth Murray, who has outstanding straight line speed and can chase plays from sideline to sideline. His weakness? Pass coverage, which coincidentally is one of Queen’s strengths. Pro Football Focus gave him a 82.0 grade in 2019 after playing just 255 snaps the previous years.
Raiders Mock: 2nd Round
With the 45th overall pick, Las Vegas selects:
A.J. Terrell, Cornerback, Clemson
The Raiders selected Terrell’s teammate, Trayvon Mullen, last year in the second round. Mayock goes back to the well once again and hopes Terrell brings the same type of play Mullen began to show as the season progressed. Terrell blazed a 4.42 at the combine, tied for fifth best time for cornerbacks.
With the 54th overall pick, the Raiders Select:
J.K. Dobbins, Running Back, Ohio State.
Wait a minute! The Raiders already have Josh Jacobs! The Alabama alumnus endeared himself to every Raiders fan by basically playing hurt all year and was even emotional about having to sit out a game due to injury. Having Jacobs and Dobbins in the backfield, with that offensive line, to go along with Jeudy and the emerging Hunter Renfrow at wide receiver, Las Vegas will have a core they can build on for years to come.
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