While the coronavirus pandemic has dampened the spirits of many sports fans worldwide, one strong distraction during the COVID-19 crisis has been the NFL. Uniquely positioned during the offseason program, the NFL has been able to maneuver through the lockdown thanks to free agency, a few big trades and — now — the 2020 NFL Draft.
For the Las Vegas Raiders, the 2020 NFL draft will be the first as the organization’s new namesake in Sin City. Head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock have been preparing for the draft, digitally, with their scouting department, a massive change from the normal NFL Draft protocol. Because of social distancing guidelines, the league will be holding the draft digitally.
The Raiders will be looking to continue the progress the franchise has made since Gruden returned a few years ago. After hitting home runs last year in the draft, the braintrust will look to capitalize, once again, from the Khalil Mack trade. As a result of the deal, the Raiders possess an additional first round pick this year, allowing them to make moves and simply take the best player available to suit their team need.
“I hope there’s no impact,” Mayock said Tuesday on a conference call with local media. “I’ve got to spend time later this week once we get all of our telecommunications stuff set up, and I basically have to figure out — and you know I’m about 100 years old — I’ve got to sit here and test screen share and have four different people on one screen and make sure I understand if there are multiple trades going on at the same time, how we’re handling it, how we’re communicating, are we texting, can I see anything visually.
“Really the challenge for me — because I’m not very good at that stuff, it’s a lot easier when someone is passing me a note saying, ‘Hey Atlanta wants to trade with you’ while I’m on the phone with Detroit — so I’m old-school in that I think if you practice enough at anything you can get good at it. I’m anxious to get the communication stuff into my house, I’m anxious to get everyone else around the country that I need to communicate with together, and I got to start practicing. I’ll be the first to tell you, I’m clueless when it comes to sharing a screen.”
Recent mock drafts show the Raiders going after defensive depth with their early picks, while a few have them looking at wide receiver for the next go-to target for quarterback Derek Carr. Many experts have Las Vegas taking safety and wide receiver but quarterback wouldn’t be a shocker, if the value was there at 19.
Pro Football Focus’s recent three-round mock draft has the Raiders taking LSU cornerback and national champion Kristian Fulton as the second corner off the board at No. 12 then taking LSU safety Grant Delpit at No. 19, making the first round a Tigers-friendly start.
Fansided has the Las Vegas Raiders selecting wide receiver Henry Ruggs III from Alabama with the first of their two picks in the first round then Javon Kinlaw, a defensive tackle from South Carolina after the mock draft Kinlaw surprisingly predicted he’d last until pick No. 19.
Here’s how some of the NFL experts see the draft.
Todd McShay, ESPN:
WR CeeDee Lamb (No. 12/OU), S Antoine Winfield (No. 19/Minn.)
“The Raiders were pretty active on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, so we’re looking at offense here,” McShay said of Lamb. “Lamb is incredible after the catch and could be Vegas’ No. 1 receiver. Tyrell Williams isn’t the answer, and with both Lamb and Alabama burner Henry Ruggs III still on the board, the Raiders have to get quarterback Derek Carr a weapon.”
On Winfield, McShay sees the Raiders going for defense in the 2020 NFL Draft.
“Earlier in Round 1, we slotted Vegas with a top-tier wide receiver to help the offensive passing game,” he said of the Winfield pick. “Now, we’re diving in on a defensive passing game that is in need of a punch. Corner is definitely a bigger issue than safety, but Winfield has tremendous versatility. He is undersized, but he is a hard-hitting tackler with ball skills. Coach Jon Gruden would love bringing in this kid.”
Mel Kiper, ESPN:
CB CJ Henderson (No. 12/Florida), WR Tee Higgins (No. 19/Clemson)
“After the Raiders signed both Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkowski in free agency, you can scratch off-ball linebacker from their list of needs,” Kiper wrote about Henderson being the first pick for the Raiders. “That still leaves wide receiver and cornerback, though. And since Las Vegas has two first-round picks and this class of receivers is much deeper at the top than the cornerback group, let’s give Jon Gruden & Co. a potential No. 1 corner in Henderson here. He had an up-and-down 2019 season, but he cemented his standing as the second-ranked cornerback in this class at the combine, where he ran a 4.39 40.
While wide receiver seems to be the move, Kiper said a quarterback isn’t out of the question at 19, if the value is there. Most likely, though, he sees the Raiders going with a wide receiver in Higgins.
“If the Raiders take a cornerback at No. 12, they have to address receiver here. They can’t go into the season with Tyrell Williams, Hunter Renfrow and Nelson Agholor as Derek Carr’s top wideouts. So how about Renfrow’s college teammate, Higgins, a 6-foot-3 pass-catcher with elite ball skills. Higgins isn’t a speedster — he didn’t work out at the combine, but he ran a 4.54 40 at his pro day — but he could be an instant red zone threat for Carr.”
From Matt Miller to Daniel Jeremiah, it seems to be a general consensus that the Raiders will go safety and wide receiver with their first two rounds.
Raiders GM to donate to charity based on 2020 NFL Draft results
Mayock has been in the public eye recently after pledging to donate $1,000 for each draft pick the Raiders make this year. His donations will go to the Clark County Delivering with Dignity Program that helps vulnerable families in need. The Raiders head into the draft with seven picks but that could change at any moment based on draft night deals.
Raiders GM Mike Mayock will donate $1,000 for each draft pick he makes this year to the Clark County Delivering with Dignity Program that supports vulnerable families in Las Vegas. Each donation will be made in the name of the pick. Raiders have 7 picks. Hope they trade for more.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 15, 2020
