The NFL Draft is getting closer, and the possibilities are bountiful for the Las Vegas Raiders. The latest from NFL.com has potentially franchise altering picks.
General manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden navigated free agency flawlessly or as close as they could because they addressed some of the team’s biggest holes. The most glaring deficiency was of course, linebacker, and Raiders brass took care of it. However, even with the additions of Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski, it is possible for Mayock to go with a linebacker in the first round according to the media conglomerate.
Raiders Blog: NFL.com’s Prediction…
Draft Analyst Chad Reuter of NFL.com recently published his mock with an intriguing scenario for the Raiders on Day One.
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First, he has the Silver and Black going with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 12th pick. He then has Mayock chosing linebacker Kenneth Murray with the 19th selection. His logic is as follow:
For the Lamb pick:
Lamb is the best all-around receiver in the draft, and Denver’s move up to grab Ruggs makes the choice much easier for the Raiders.
For Murray:
Above everything else, I think GM Mike Mayock proved in his first draft with the Raiders that he’ll take good football players with good character — and Murray fits the bill. Even though the Raiders just added Nick Kwiatkoski and Cory Littleton in free agency, they’ll find room for Murray at the second level of their defense.
Does it make sense though?
Here’s the thing, Reuter’s mock scenario is actually quite plausible and out of the ones out there, it’s one of the most logical. The Raiders desperately need a breakaway receiver that can emerge as the number one option and he seems to think Lamb is that player. Some in Raider Nation seem to think Henry Ruggs III is the answer and some actually want more defense with this pick, but for argument’s sake, I think we can all agree this is a sensible pick.
What about Murray? This one’s tricky. Reuter says that despite their free agency additions, the Raiders still need help at the second level. This is true, even if you’d prefer the team to pick up another wide out, perhaps an edge rusher or a cornerback. Depth is key for this team and as we saw last season, the Raiders struggled at linebacker, which exposed the dire need for quality players at that position.
What do you think Raider Nation? How do you feel about Reuter’s first round scenario for your Las Vegas Raiders, let us know below!
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