The Oakland Raiders will become the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason and will boast two first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. First and foremost, the Raiders own the 12th overall pick and have plenty of directions they could go with the selection.
Before delving into who they could add to the roster, it's important to note what positions could be targeted. It goes without saying that the Raiders are desperate to add more wide receivers to the offense.
Last offseason, the Raiders acquired Antonio Brown via trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers. As everyone knows, the pairing of Brown and the Raiders came to a sudden halt after the troubled wideout left them no choice but to release him.
Along with wide receiver, Las Vegas could also use a formidable linebacker in the center of their defense. Considering that, here are the three early targets for the Raiders with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
3. Kenneth Murray (LB, Oklahoma)
For people who watched the Raiders in 2019, it was evident that there was a presence missing in the middle of the defense. Until the latter part of the season, the Raiders didn't seem to fill the void at inside linebacker. When the Raiders brought in Will Compton, he was immediately the best linebacker that stepped foot on the field for them.
Given the uncertainty of the position moving forward, Las Vegas could use someone like Kenneth Murray to become a cornerstone of their defense. Murray is regarded as one of the best linebacker prospects in the upcoming draft.
In his final two seasons at Oklahoma, Murray accumulated 257 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. During his time in college, Murray proved he can play either outside or inside linebacker. With that being said, he seems best suited as the anchor of a defense at middle linebacker.
2. Jerry Jeudy (WR, Alabama)
As mentioned above, the wide receiver position is at the top of the list of needs for the Raiders. Currently, Tyrell Williams is slated to be the team's No. 1 wide receiver again in 2020.
Williams showed in 2019 that he is at his best when he is second-fiddle to an elite talent in an offense. Considering that, Jerry Jeudy makes perfect sense as the team moves to Las Vegas.
Heading into the draft, most scouts and draft heads have Jeudy as the best wide receiver available. Jeudy is a tactician as a route runner and is agile enough to create separation from his defenders. Over his final two seasons at Alabama, Jeudy hauled in 145 receptions for 2,478 yards and 24 touchdowns.
1. CeeDee Lamb (WR, Oklahoma)
Besides Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb is another wide receiver that the Raiders can consider. What sets Lamb apart from most of the wide receivers in the 2020 draft class is his ability to create yardage after the catch.
At Oklahoma, Lamb combined for 127 catches, 2,485 yards, and 25 touchdowns in his final two seasons at the collegiate level. Lamb's 21.4 yards per reception in 2019 was ranked third in the entire nation.
Taking into account Lamb's big-play ability, he would seamlessly fit into Jon Gruden's aerial attack. Additionally, it would give Derek Carr a threat down the field in a crucial season for the seventh-year quarterback. The Raiders can't go wrong with either Lamb or Jeudy.
Follow Us
Subscribe