Getty Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The wait is almost over for the NFL Draft and the Las Vegas Raiders will be hoping to find their next starting wide receiver. There’s plenty of talent to choose from, but Jerry Jeudy out of Alabama may be the best fit for the team. According to Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report, the former Biletnikoff Award is a “dream fit” for the Raiders:
“The Silver and Black need a go-to playmaker on the perimeter—a sure-handed receiver who can dissect coverages with sharp, smooth routes.
In February, general manager Mike Mayock told reporters about the importance of players’ abilities to beat press-man coverage and learn route trees.
Jeudy played in a pro-style offense at Alabama and runs detailed routes all over the field. He also brings speed with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash.
At a program that constantly pumps out NFL talent, Jeudy recorded at least 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in back-to-back terms. He’s battle-tested and equipped to take on a lead role in the Raiders’ aerial attack.”
This isn’t the first time Jeudy has been pegged as a strong fit for the Raiders. He’s been compared to Antonio Brown so the team might actually get a chance to use some of the plays Jon Gruden drew up for the superstar. Jeudy is probably the most complete wide receiver in the draft and Las Vegas would be greatly improved if they drafted him. However, it’s not a foregone conclusion he’ll be available when the Raiders pick at 12.
Will the Top 3 WRs Be Available to Raiders?
Almost every mock draft has the Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb or Henry Ruggs available when the Raiders select at 12. Those three are the consensus best wide receivers in the draft. There’s a very good chance at least one of the three will be a Raider when it’s all said and done. Each player has their own set of strengths and would be a great asset to the team.
That said, it’s entirely possible that none of the three are ever available to the Raiders. There are plenty of wide receiver-needy teams in the NFL and they all know Las Vegas needs to address the position. There could be one or two teams that try to leap from the Raiders to take one of the top three wide receivers. If Ruggs, Jeudy and Lamb are gone at 12, the team will have a couple of options.
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What Will Raiders Do if Top 3 WRs Are off Board Before Pick?
A good play for the Raiders to make if they can’t get one of the top wide receivers would be to draft cornerback C.J. Henderson. He’s generally thought of as the second-best cornerback in the draft and the gap between him and the third best is pretty wide. It’s actually possible that the Raiders take Henderson even if one of the three best wide receivers are still available.
There’s also the ability to trade down and get some more picks. Las Vegas doesn’t have a second-round pick so trading down could actually be a good idea. There’s a ton of wide receiver talent in this draft and the Raiders could end up finding a WR1 in the second or third round.
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