The 40-yard dashes have been run, the weights have been lifted, and most importantly, the interviews at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine are in the books.
What that also means is that the offseason is officially over, and breaking down the draft – and who will be on the board when the Las Vegas Raiders pick – will be the main topic of conversation from now until April 23.
So, did everything that occurred in Indianapolis last week change what the experts think the Silver and Black will do in the first round? Let's find out.
Previous picks: CeeDeeLamb, Kenneth Murray
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama |
No. 19 | Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma |
Analysis:
Jeudy - The Raiders had big defensive issues last season, but in their 1-5 swoon to close out 2019, they scored just 14.7 points per game, which ranked last in the league. So let's help Jon Gruden's offense with this pick, then address the defense with the team's second Round 1 pick (No. 19). Darren Waller emerged as a really good tight end last season, but the Raiders don't have a true No. 1 receiver. Jeudy, a polished route runner and smart receiver, would instantly become their best pass-catcher.
Murray - I'll stick with a Vontaze Burfict replacement here with Murray, a big and physical inside linebacker who put up gaudy tackle numbers for the Sooners. Jon Gruden loves aggressive defenders, and Murray, a good blitzer with great athleticism, fits the bill.
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama |
No. 19 | CJ Henderson | CB | Florida |
Analysis:
Jeudy - "Enter the top route runner in the draft class in Jeudy. He would immediately give Derek Carr -- or whoever is throwing the passes in Vegas -- a legitimate threat outside to pair with breakout tight end Darren Waller. The wide receiver class is deep, but Jeudy is my No. 1-ranked prospect at the position."
Henderson - "With Jeudy taking care of receiving woes, it's time to look at the defense for the Raiders' fifth Round 1 pick in the past two years. Trayvon Mullen showed some potential in his rookie season, but Nevin Lawson and Daryl Worley are both free agents, so Vegas -- man, I'm still getting used to saying that -- is going to have to get a playmaker in coverage. Henderson broke up 11 passes for Florida this past season, an ability that will be welcomed by a Raiders defense that managed only nine picks and was bottom 10 in pass defense (256.7 yards per game)."
Previous picks: CeeDee Lamb, Patrick Queen
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama |
No. 19 | A.J. Terrell | CB | Clemson |
Analysis:
Jeudy - The Raiders (26.2 points per game in 2019, 24th in the NFL) need to score more. Enter Jerry Jeudy.
Terrell - Raiders general manager Mike Mayock loves Clemson products, and Terrell is a long, athletic player who would fit beautifully with his former teammate, 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen.
Previous picks: CeeDee Lamb, Kenneth Murray
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jordan Love | QB | Utah State |
No. 19 | Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma |
Analysis:
Love – After watching their division rivals hoist the Lombardi Trophy due to a draft day quarterback gamble that changed the course of the franchise, the Raiders could roll the dice on an ultra-talented prospect with MVP potential.
Murray – Swift linebacker with legit sideline-to-sideline range as a run-and-chase defender.
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama |
No. 19 | Patrick Queen | LB | LSU |
Analysis:
Jeudy - "The Raiders have a couple of selections in the first round and one of them has to be spent on a receiver. Why not take your pick of WR1s in this spot?"
Queen - "The latest in a recent string of speedy linebackers from LSU, Queen helps fill a gaping hole in the Raiders' defense."
Previous picks: Henry Ruggs III, Patrick Queen
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jordan Love | QB | Utah State |
No. 19 | Laviska Shenault Jr. | WR | Colorado |
Analysis:
Love – The Raiders have gotten scorched by Patrick Mahomes in Jon Gruden's first two seasons with the team, so Mike Mayock and Co. grab a quarterback with a similar style.
Shenault Jr. – Shenault is almost built like Saquon Barkley and has similar springiness and contact balance in space. He's a yards-after-the-catch monster, which is precisely what Jon Gruden wants in his West Coast offense.
Previous picks: Jerry Jeudy, Patrick Queen
Pick | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|
No. 12 | Jerry Jeudy | WR | Alabama |
No. 19 | Kenneth Murray | LB | Oklahoma |
Analysis:
Jeudy – The Raiders will have no hesitation in drafting the best wide receiver in the class, who is somehow still available at No. 12 overall. Thanks to a run on quarterbacks and offensive tackles, the Raiders get extremely lucky with Jerry Jeudy still on the board.
Jeudy is an Odell Beckham Jr.-type wide receiver with fantastic agility and burst. He's among the cleanest, smoothest route-runners you'll find in the last decade of pass-catchers. That, plus his agility and speed, makes him the most likely to have a major impact early in his rookie season.
Murray – The Raiders lucked into Jerry Jeudy at No. 12 overall and somehow hit the lottery again with Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray on the board at No. 19.
For a team that has recently been very bad at defending the middle of the field, a linebacker with Murray's range, instincts and toughness is a quick fix. Murray dominated as a one-man wrecking crew for the Oklahoma defense but has more natural athleticism than many would expect from a player who was so impactful in the run game.
Check out behind-the-scenes photos from the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.