Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Jerry Jeudy during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After interviewing and watching prospects work out for four days at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, team scouts and executives will go back to their big boards for confirmation or adjustments. The Las Vegas Raiders have two first-round selections and three third-rounders, which will allow general manager Mike Mayock to maneuver picks if necessary. Although I usually like to wait until after the start of free agency for a Raiders mock draft, I jumped in a bit early.
The cameras at Lucas Oil Stadium caught Mayock and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther looking at each other after linebacker Isaiah Simmons ran a blazing 4.39 40-yard time:
According to The Athletic‘s Vic Tafur, the Raiders were impressed with Simmons before his on-field workouts.
Will we see a shocking trade? Who knows. For now, outsiders can only speculate as to where prospects rank on the Raiders’ big board. Let’s take a shot at a full seven-round mock draft.
Each selection below is based on a real simulation with the idea of how the Raiders—not yours truly—would approach the draft as of March 2nd.
We all assume the Raiders will take a wide receiver with one of their first two picks. Mayock tried to pump the brakes on that notion with his reasons why recent first-round wideouts fell short of expectations:
Based on Mayock’s comments, he’s looking for a shrewd route-runner who can handle press coverage and read defenses on the move. That sounds like a tough job description, but head coach Jon Gruden expects his wideouts to know all three positions inside and out.
This doesn’t mean CeeDee Lamb can’t check those boxes, but when you watch Jeudy’s game tape, he’s the ideal guy who passes Mayock’s litmus test for early-round wideouts. The Alabama product can line up on the inside or outside, and his routes are crisp.
Jeudy has drawn comparisons to fellow Crimson Tide alum Amari Cooper, which says a lot about his ability to separate out of his breaks.
If the Arizona Cardinals use their eighth pick to pair Lamb with his collegiate teammate Kyler Murray, the Raiders should feel good about Jeudy, who’s the WR1 on some NFL big boards. He’ll start Day 1 and contribute at a high volume as a rookie.
I know it doesn’t make for a surprising Raiders mock draft first pick, but Jeudy’s talent is undeniable and the need is great.
Among the Raiders fanbase, there’s another split opinion between Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen. They ran solid 40-yard dash times at 4.52 and 4.5 seconds, respectively. Both pulled up with hamstring injuries but should be fine, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:
Murray measured 6’2″, 241 pounds, and Queen listed 6’0″, 229 pounds. If you’re familiar with defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s ideal type of linebacker, the former’s size should jump off the screen.
Whether it’s Rey Maualuga, Vincent Rey or Vontaze Burfict, Guenther’s key linebackers had bigger builds—240 pounds and heavier. The modern game has forced defensive coordinators to use sleek, athletic defenders on the second level, but Murray has the quickness to play sideline to sideline as the defensive centerpiece.
Guenther wouldn’t have to deviate from his prototype at linebacker, and the team can fill a dire need. That’s a win-win scenario.
Murray’s two-year stint as a captain at Oklahoma likely gives him the edge over Queen, who took over a starting position last year.
According to NFL Network’s Peter Schrager, during the combine telecast, Murray said he was “born to lead.” The Raiders would have their alpha for the defense—a prospect with solid experience as a leader on the collegiate level.
For this Raiders mock draft, no question I’d be taking a linebacker at No. 19.
This pick doesn’t change from the first mock draft because Bradlee Anae solidified his spot as a top prospect in this class. He may not be available at 80, but he continues to slip in mocks.
Apparently, Anae is a nightmare for tight ends off the edge. Dane Brugler of The Athletic figured that out at the combine:
At 6’3″, 257 pounds, Anae has strength, putting up 25 reps on the 225-pound bench press. He’s also light on his feet. The Utah product aced the four-bag drill, which tests footwork, lateral movement and a little bit of change of direction:
Anae’s motor will remind you of Maxx Crosby’s on-field tenacity. We saw the former’s relentless pursuit of quarterbacks (13 sacks) throughout the 2019 season. He continued the hunt during Senior Bowl week.
Some scouts view Anae as a 3-4 outside linebacker, but he possesses enough strength to line up at the defensive end on an even-man front. If he tacks on a few extra pounds, the former Ute could see the field early in his career and wreak havoc on offensive lines as a situational pass-rusher.
Don’t expect Justin Madubuike to stay on the board midway through the third round, but for the sake of this simulation, the Raiders would likely take him in this spot.
Madubuike is an interior disruptor. Although undersized at 6’2″, 293 pounds, he compares closely in stature and workout performance to Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins:
If the Raiders see a little bit of Atkins in Madubuike, Guenther would be the person to speak on it, having spent eight years in Cincinnati with the two-time All-Pro. The Texas A&M product recorded 5.5 sacks in consecutive terms before declaring for the draft. On the next level, he’s going to shoot gaps and win battles in the trenches.
For those skeptical about a high-potential talent lingering around late on Day 2, remember, Atkins went the Bengals as a fourth-rounder in 2010. At 81, Madubuike feels like a draft steal.
According to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller, Chase Claypool’s weigh-in sparked discussion about a position change:
Claypool went on to crush the combine workouts, which may encourage teams to use him in a variety of ways.
Even if we dismiss Claypool’s eye-popping combine numbers, his production as a collegiate senior gives a clue on how to use him on the pro level.
Gruden can line Claypool up on the perimeter and allow him to move the chains as a possession receiver. The Raiders lead skipper can use the Notre Dame product’s combination of speed and size to overwhelm safeties and linebackers in the middle of the field as well. The big-bodied pass-catcher isn’t shy about battling for contested targets.
Tight end Foster Moreau may be on the road to a long recovery. He tore his ACL during Week 14. In his place, the Raiders can use Claypool alongside Darren Waller for a dangerous 12 personnel look. The 6’4″, 238-pounder can also seal off defenders with textbook blocks on the edge.
Since Guenther’s arrival, he’s used one defensive back as a secondary chess piece. In 2018, Michael Gilchrist filled that role. This past season, Daryl Worley moved around, playing outside cornerback, in the slot and safety—more so within the box, per Pro Football Focus.
The Raiders may allow Worley to test the free-agent market. If he stays, the 25-year-old should play cornerback where the defense lacks experience barring a free-agent addition.
Meanwhile, I like Terrell Burgess in this Raiders mock draft because he can take reps at safety and in the slot to find out where he fits best. The Utah product has the versatility to line up all over the field because of his skill set, which was briefly highlighted during Senior Bowl week. At practice, he stuck with the receiver, closed the cushion, located the football and picked it off:
Burgess put his coverage skills on display during the game as well. This time, he tracked the receiver in the back of the end zone and used his length to break up the pass. Watch him turn his head and make a play on the football:
Burgess doesn’t have a lot of starting experience and only logged five pass breakups and an interception in his best collegiate year. Those modest numbers coupled with his 5’11”, 202-pound stature could cause him to slip as teams figure out if he’s a slot cornerback or a safety.
The Raiders should allow him to develop where he’s most comfortable, but if he’s solid in the slot, Lamarcus Joyner could shift to the safety spot.
The Raiders’ last pick isn’t just a throwaway choice. Joshua Kelley could play a significant role behind Josh Jacobs who logged 242 carries during the 2019 term. In Week 7, against the Green Bay Packers, he fractured his shoulder and played through the pain for the second half of the term.
Mayock said the team didn’t want to put too much on Jacobs’ plate as a rookie, but the bruising ball-carrier will be more involved in the passing game going forward:
With more touches and pass protection assignments in Jacobs’ future, Kelley could handle a portion of the early downs. He’s equipped to push through contact and keep his legs moving for four or more yards per carry.
Kelley racked up 105 rushing yards for the Senior Bowl game. He continued to impress with his workouts and interviews at the combine:
Despite his bubbly personality, he has a nasty grinder-type run style that fits the Raiders’ short-yardage needs in the backfield. The former Bruin bulked up to 5’11”, 219 pounds and ran for 2,303 yards and 24 touchdowns over the last two collegiate terms.
Of course, free agency could change one or more of the projections above. Perhaps the Raiders sign a veteran defensive lineman like Javon Hargrave, add a wide receiver or re-sign running back DeAndre Washington to fill certain roles.
Mayock and Gruden will have a projected $51.6 million to spend on veteran talent in about two weeks. Even with the potential acquisitions, prospects like Jeudy and Murray could stick because of the need for a lead pass-catcher and linebacker help for the defense.
With that said, expect a third Raiders mock draft following the first wave of free agency to keep tabs on the Raiders’ needs and how the team may approach the selection process in April.