Round 1, Pick 19: CB Trevon Diggs, Alabama
Midway through the 2019 season, Raiders fans wanted to see the front office pull off a trade for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who was frustrated with his team’s offense. That didn’t happen, but how about his younger brother Trevon Diggs?
First off, Diggs fits the profile of what defensive coordinator Paul Guenther wants in a cornerback. At 6’2″, 207 pounds, he’s a long, athletic prospect who can disrupt a wide receiver’s routes right off the line of scrimmage.
Diggs isn’t a physical cornerback who comes downhill and wallops a ball-carrier in run support, but the Raiders would select him for his ability to recognize route combinations and force turnovers. He’s a former wide receiver with some ball skills, which may translate to high production on the pro level.
Diggs has experience lining on the perimeter and in the slot, giving the Raiders flexibility with Isaiah Johnson and Keisean Nixon who have yet to claim their spots in the secondary. The Alabama product has a significant upside and would probably start as a rookie like Trayvon Mullen last year.
In 2018, Diggs broke his foot, but he put together a strong senior campaign, logging eight pass breakups and three interceptions.
Round 3, Pick 80: RB Zack Moss, Utah
Don’t let Gruden’s talk about throwing the ball downfield fool you. He may want to incorporate more deep passes, but at his core, the Raiders head coach looks to establish the run.
As a play-caller, three of Gruden’s last four offensive units have ranked 11th in rush attempts. Even in Gruden’s glory years with the Raiders, an offense featuring Rich Gannon, Tim Brown and later on Jerry Rice, three of those teams ranked 12th or higher in total carries.
Secondly, Carr’s had his best year (2016) with the sixth-best ground attack, featuring a three-man backfield, Latavius Murray, Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington. The latter two will become unrestricted free agents in March.
In 2019, Carr showed improvement paired with a viable run game, featuring Josh Jacobs.
In Week 7, Jacobs fractured his shoulder and played through half the season with major discomfort. After registering 251 rush attempts through three terms at Alabama, he recorded 242 carries this past season. Clearly, the compact tailback (5’10”, 221 lbs) can handle the volume, but why wear him down so early in his career?
Zack Moss would be an ideal complement to Jacobs. He runs with force, power and absorbs contact on the move.
Moss plays with a body frame similar to Jacobs (5’10”, 222 lbs) but showcases a more rugged run style, which is exactly what the Raiders need in short-yardage situations and on third downs.
As an added bonus, teams won’t be able to key in on Moss’s role when he’s on the field. The versatile tailback is one of the best pass protectors among the incoming prospects at his position. In addition to his power run success, the Utah product flashed soft hands out of the backfield last year, hauling in 28 catches for 388 yards and two touchdowns.
Jacobs and Moss together would put a smile on Gruden’s face to the chagrin of defenders on the field tasked with stopping them.