The Las Vegas Raiders finished their 2020 draft, making seven picks over three days. Here are each of their picks from every round of the draft.
The 2020 NFL Draft is in the books, as the team added seven new members to the organization. The draft could be summarized using one word, speed, as the Raiders knew they needed to get faster to keep up with the Kansas City Chiefs inside their division.
As we recap the draft, you have to be happy with the haul Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock got. They added talent at their two biggest areas of need in wide receiver and cornerback, and got some dynamic and versatile players in guys like Lynn Bowden Jr. and Tanner Muse.
First Round
- Round 1, Pick No. 12: Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama
With every wide receiver prospect still on the board, Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock had the pick of the litter and wound up taking, Ruggs, the fastest player in the 2020 draft. Gruden has said numerous times since the 2019 season came to a close, he wants to get more dynamic on offense and adding Ruggs to the mix who ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash presumably provides a large spark.
Ideally, Ruggs will be used on the outside to stretch the defensive vertically while opening things up for Josh Jacobs around the line of scrimmage with fewer bodies down in the box. The former Crimson Tide playmaker had teams salivating over his accelerating vertical speed but he’s also capable of doing damage after the catch with the ball in his hands, taking a screen pass for chunk yards.
The Kansas City Chiefs Tyreek Hill has exploited the Raiders secondary with his explosive speed over the last few seasons and the addition of Ruggs feels as if that’s a burning image inside Gruden’s head. The NFL is a copycat league and the Raiders now have their own version of Hill by drafting Ruggs with their first pick.
- Round 1, Pick No. 19: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Selecting Arnette with the 19th overall pick was a bit of a head-scratcher. Arnette is a notable cornerback at the next level but the consensus expectation was he would be drafted among the second or third round. Clearly, he was highly prioritized within the Raiders’ organization and without them having a second-round pick, they forced their hand a bit.
Arnette was highly productive in college, allowing the lowest passer rating when lining up in single coverage in this year’s draft class, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s highly competitive and isn’t afraid to play press-man but did post a surprising 40-yard dash time of 4.56 seconds. That’s not exactly the time you want in a first-round corner but his game film doesn’t indicate that he has any trouble staying with his man.
Nonetheless, you don’t take a player with the 19th overall pick to not play — he’ll start opposite of last year’s second-round pick, Trayvon Mullen as the young duo attempt to lock down the outside with Lamarcus Joyner patrolling the slot.
Third Round
- Round 3, Pick No. 80: Lynn Bowden Jr., RB/WR, Kentucky
Adding Bowden to the offense creates a huge unknown for the opposition. He’s played quarterback, running back and wide receiver during his playing days at Kentucky. However, Mayock said after day two of the draft, he’ll start out as a running back for the Raiders and will be utilized in a multitude of ways.
Bowden is a unique talent, to say the least. He is the only SEC player in the last 20 years to post a season of 300 passing yards, 300 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards. Additionally, he’s also returned kicks and punts, averaging over 20 yards per return in both areas of his game.
With Boden’s swiss army knife ability, he should be a fun project for Gruden to use in several ways, potentially a similar role that the New Orleans Saints use Taysom Hill.
- Round 3, Pick No. 81: Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina
Gruden and Mayock kept on stockpiling the playmakers on offense and with the 81st pick, Edwards provides the Raiders with a physical x receiver. He’s not someone that’ll run right by defenders like Ruggs’ skillset but Edwards delivers a rare brand of finesse and aggression.
Last season, the Raiders offense experienced some hiccups as they neared toward the goal line. Edwards will be a target that should get a lot of looks inside the red zone, using his large frame to his advantage to box out defenders. Carr has shown to connect quickly with receivers who are physical at the point of attack and sure-handed catchers such as Michael Crabtree, and Edwards demonstrates a similar type.
He finished his senior season with 71 receptions for 816 yards and six touchdowns. His 234 catches over four seasons rank the third-most in the SEC history. Raiders found themselves a possession receiver with a knack for the crucial catch.
- Round 3, Pick No. 100: Tanner Muse, LB/S, Clemson
With their first pick spent on the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders added a versatile defender who can play multiple linebacker positions and safety. Muse played safety more than any other position in college but Mayock made it know after rounds two and three that Muse will start out being a special teamer while learning the will and mike linebacker positions.
He was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, third-team AP All-American, first-team All-ACC selection and voted a team captain. Muse tallied 73 tackles, six for a loss, two sacks, five pass breakups and a team-leading four interceptions over 669 snaps as a 15-game starter.
With the free-agent signings of Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski, as well as the services of Nicholas Morrow, Muse is someone who’ll add depth to a re-built unit on the roster.
Fourth Round
- Round 4, Pick No. 109: John Simpson, OG, Clemson
To kick off the start of day three, the Raiders traded up to pick 109 with the Detroit Lions in exchange for picks 121 and 172 overall. Adding another guard to the mix with Simpson after signing three in free agency has created speculation that the writing might be on the wall for Gabe Jackson. moving forward Although, that wasn’t necessarily the case — when the draft concluded, Mayock stated Jackson is the team’s starting right guard.
Simpson became the sixth offensive lineman in Clemson history to earn consensus All-American honors. He played 725 snaps throughout the 2019 season in 14 games, all in which he got the start in each outing. In 2017, he filled the role of being the Tigers’ swing guard prior to becoming a two-year starter, helping Clemson put together a 29-1 stretch run during his final two seasons.
Initially, he projects as a depth piece in 2020 but with Jackson having no guaranteed money left on his current three-year contract and Richie Incognito entering his age 37 season, Simpson could find himself cracking the starting lineup sooner rather than later.
- Round 4, Pick No. 139: Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech
Entering the draft, cornerback was an area the Raiders needed to put a true emphasis on, and they did so, adding Arnette on day one. By the looks of things, they felt the depth at that position isn’t where they quite wanted it and that’s why adding Robertson in the fourth round was a move that Gruden and Mayock were floored about.
Robertson, who’s listed at 5’8″, 187 pounds, won’t intimidate his opposition based on his physical structure but he plays much larger than advertised. When the Raiders choose Roberton, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah mentioned he had him ranked as the best nickel cornerback in this year’s draft. Draft experts have noted if Robertson was a couple inches taller, he likely would’ve been picked around the ballpark of the second round.
His length really is the only downfall to his game and the reason he was still available on day three. His final college season concluded with 44 tackles, five interceptions, 16 pass breakups and one forced fumble. He’ll fit in below Lamarcus Joyner on the depth chart as the second option in covering the opposition’s slot receiver.