Raiders have two first-round picks in 2020 NFL draft. Here’s how they may play out
Just a few days to go until the NFL draft, virtual style, will kick off across your television sets.
It’ll be an entirely different experience beginning Thursday night, quite unprecedented from what the NFL originally had planned, when it hoped that team officials, fans and top picks would flock to Las Vegas for one big party.
Those plans were canceled because of the novel coronavirus that has impacted sporting events and world economies around the globe.
Still, 58 prospects will participate in the draft via the internet, with all 32 team hats in tow at their houses for an event now billed as a “Draft-A-Thon” to benefit COVID-19 relief efforts and pay tribute to healthcare workers and others on the front lines of the battle against the pandemic.
Round 1 is Thursday, with Rounds 2-3 on Friday and Rounds 4-7 on Saturday, on NFL Network, ESPN and ABC. Among the teams with multiple first-rounders is the newly rebranded Las Vegas Raiders.
Coverage begins at 5 p.m. Pacific Thursday.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock took questions from the local media this past week about the draft and provided a peek of what his decidedly low-tech living (war) room looks like in the era of stay-at-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
He said there are “five huge white boards” and “1,000 magnets with names on them all over the place.”
“I feel like I’m sitting in the middle of the 1976 draft room,” he said.
He also announced that he and his wife will donate $1,000 for every draft pick the team will make.
In addition to the two first-round selections, the Raiders were set to enter the draft with three picks in the third round and one each in the fourth and fifth rounds.
With national analysts making final tweaks to their mock drafts in recent days, here’s a look at what they think the Raiders will do in the opening round.
ESPN
Updated April 14
Mel Kiper doesn’t think the Raiders will go with a wide receiver. Instead, it’s cornerback CJ Henderson of Florida with the 12th overall pick.
He views Henderson as an “upgrade,” though he considered Las Vegas might go with a quarterback at No. 12.
Kiper does have the Raiders going QB with the 19th pick in Jordan Love of Utah State: “I feel good about Love being here,” he wrote.
(Note: An ESPN+ subscription is required to see Kiper’s full analysis.)
NFL.com
Updated April 15
The consensus at NFL Network is the Raiders will look initially for a receiver.
Whether it’s Jerry Jeudy of Alabama or CeeDee Lamb of Oklahoma, Daniel Jeremiah believes the Raiders will go with Jeudy with the 12th pick.
“This decision would likely come down to Jeudy versus Javon Kinlaw. I would applaud either choice,” he wrote.
At 19, Jeremiah went with Clemson cornerback A.J. Terrell, reuniting him with cornerback Trayvon Mullen Jr., defensive end Clelin Ferrell and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and giving “the Raiders two tall, long and rangy CBs to build their secondary around.”
CBS Sports
Updated April 15
The way Chris Trapasso sees it, the Raiders will get “antsy” and trade up to No. 10 to draft Jeudy “as they see the receivers drop, and swing a deal with Cleveland to get the best separator in the class.”
Traposso thinks Jeudy will be the first wide receiver to get drafted. Looking at his mock draft, Jeudy would still be available at 12.
At 19, Traposso is going with cornerback Jeff Gladney of Texas Christian.
Perfect fit? Traposso thinks so, saying “Gladney is one of the nastiest, ball-hawking corners in this class.”
USA Today
Updated April 14
In Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz’s mock view, he believes quarterback Derek Carr needs a “legitimate No. 1 option.” He feels that player should be Oklahoma’s Lamb.
“(His) prowess in winning contested catches and racking up yards will come in handy,” he wrote.
At 19, he went with Louisiana State cornerback Kristian Fulton, whom he describes as a “smooth and controlled Day 1 starter.”
Sports Illustrated
Updated April 15
Draft analyst Mark Morales-Smith decided to pass on Lamb and instead go with Jeudy, with the Raiders overcoming the fact they’ve “been snake bitten at the position for a while now.”
His reason being: “Jeudy is a can’t miss stud that will stop this trend and my top receiver prospect in this draft slightly above CeeDee Lamb. His route-running skills separate him as the top wideout in 2020.”
Then at No. 19, Morales-Smith thinks defensive end A.J. Epenesa of Iowa is the guy. It’s a big departure from other analysts’ best guesses.
Walter Football
Updated April 15
There’s a change for Walter Cherepinsky, who previously went with Jeudy here. He flipped to Lamb.
“CeeDee Lamb is a terrific route runner with great hands. He’s been amazing this year and is now the No. 2 receiver on my board,” he wrote.
Seven picks later, Cherepinsky feels the Raiders need to go with a linebacker. He says it’s Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma.
The Ringer
Updated April 13
After the Raiders see Jeudy and Lamb go off the board, draft analyst Danny Kelly went with Henry Ruggs III of Alabama.
“Dangerous touchdown machine with elite speed and the ability to create after the catch; still developing intricacies of route-running,” he wrote.
Gladney is Kelly’s choice at 19.
San Diego-Union Tribune
Updated April 15
Draft analyst Eddie Brown went with Lamb at No. 12
“The Biletnikoff Award finalist is a big-play machine (he averaged 21.4 yards per reception in 2019 as a primary target) who adds extra value as a punt returner,” he wrote.
Seven picks later, Brown went with cornerback Trevon Diggs of Alabama.
Pro Football Network
Updated April 16
In his final mock draft, Andrew DiCecco is going with Jeudy.
“The need for a primary receiving option is evident. Jeudy, an elite separator, effectively builds even more anticipation for the inaugural season in Las Vegas,” he wrote.
At No. 19, he picks Murray.
Bleacher Report
Updated April 14
Zach Buckley doesn’t give detailed reasoning to his mock drafts, but he went with Ruggs III with the 12th pick and Fulton at No. 19.
