Las Vegas Raiders begin quest for a WR1 at NFL Combine

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 14: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 14: Henry Ruggs III #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after a touchdown against the South Carolina Gamecocks during their game at Williams-Brice Stadium on September 14, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 07: Jerry Jeudy #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates his first quarter touchdown reception against the Clemson Tigers the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi’s Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 07: Jerry Jeudy #4 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates his first quarter touchdown reception against the Clemson Tigers the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi’s Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

First round draft targets

The best part about the Raiders having such a monster need atop the depth chart at wide receiver this year is the fact that the 2020 NFL Draft class is loaded with elite talent at the position. Sitting at No. 12 overall, with how the draft should shape up in front of them, talent will be available to the Silver and Black, and it will be up to them to see which of the elite they covet the most.

Looking at the first round, as many as eight players could go within the first 32 selections, showing just how elite this draft class is. However, with the No. 12 pick, the Raiders should have their eyes on two players in particular in Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy.

Lamb is the best playmaker in this draft class, and Jeudy is the best route-runner, so the Raiders really cannot lose by getting either of the two. Of course, if they are both gone by No. 12, that changes everything, as the team should then wait until pick No. 19, where there will still be solid options available.

At pick No. 19, the list is longer, as Clemson’s Tee Higgins, Colorado’s Laviska Shenault Jr., Alabama’s Henry Ruggs III, and even LSU’s Justin Jefferson are options. Shenault and Higgins are physical specimens, and Ruggs is the fastest player in this draft class, while Jefferson proved to be a big-time playmaker during the Tigers’ run to a national title.