Getty Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden.
The 2020 draft is loaded with strong wide receiver talent and while that’s great news for teams, it’s bad news for some of the top prospects. Any other year, Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb would most likely both be top-10 picks. However, it’s a real possibility they both fall to the Las Vegas Raiders at 12 and there’s perhaps no team in the NFL with a bigger need at the position.
If both Lamb and Jeudy are both off the board when the Raiders pick, the team could start reevaluating their options. Las Vegas has a second first-round pick and could easily find a starting-caliber wide receiver with that pick. The team also has a huge need at cornerback and there isn’t nearly as much talent at that position in this draft. Draft analyst for Bleacher Report Matt Miller suggested the Raiders should go cornerback and then wide receiver in the draft.
#Raiders should consider drafting CJ Henderson at 12 and a WR at 19.
Drop off at CB is much greater than drop off at WR / decent chance WR3 in the class slips to you at 19 overall if none are off the board at 12.
Gap between CB2 and CB3 is huge. Gap between WR1 and WR3-4 isn’t
Raiders should consider drafting CJ Henderson at 12 and a WR at 19.
Drop off at CB is much greater than drop off at WR / decent chance WR3 in the class slips to you at 19 overall if none are off the board at 12.
Gap between CB2 and CB3 is huge. Gap between WR1 and WR3-4 isn’t.
C.J. Henderson Is Only Player Worth Passing on WR For
Based on the reports that the Raiders went hard after Byron Jones, it’s clear that they have a desire to upgrade at cornerback. They weren’t able to add a single player at the position this offseason, so they’ll have to address it at some point in the draft. C.J. Henderson out of Florida is the second-best cornerback in the draft and as Miller pointed, third isn’t very close.
He fits the prototype of cornerback that Mike Mayock likes and Miller is reporting that some teams like him even more than Jeff Okudah.
Making scout calls this morning and I am very glad I didn’t move off CJ Henderson. He’ll go top 16 but I’ve heard from teams that have him higher than Jeff Okudah. Consensus Top 10 player.
Okudah is usually mocked as a top-five pick and it would certainly shake up the draft if Henderson was selected before him. It still seems unlikely that will happen as Okudah is just too good to pass up and Henderson isn’t a perfect prospect. If Henderson does get selected before Okudah, there’s no way he’s falling to the Raiders at 12. Las Vegas will have to hope that Henderson is available at 12 if the plan is to take a cornerback. If both of the top guys are gone, the Raiders will need to take the best wide receiver available.
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Josh Jacobs Would’ve Been RB1 This Year
Fortunately for the Raiders, they don’t have nearly as many holes heading into the 2020 draft compared to the 2019 draft. Much of that was thanks to Mike Mayock’s ability to find good players with almost every pick. Perhaps the best pick was taking Josh Jacobs in the first round. The star running back proved to be one of the best young playmakers in the NFL. Despite not playing much in college, Jacobs would’ve been the top running back in the 2020 class also if he would’ve come out this year, according to Matt Miller.
Jacobs would be RB1 for me this year. I loved him.
Raiders really did find a stud in Jacobs and he should be even better in his second season with the team.
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Analyst Explains Intriguing Reason Why Raiders Shouldn’t Draft WR First