CBS Sports put together a solid list of second-year players primed to breakout in 2020, and the Las Vegas Raiders had one player named.
Since taking over as general manager, Mike Mayock has done a nice job building this roster up via the NFL Draft, whether it is in the first round, or beyond. As the Raiders enter the 2020 season, there are high expectations, as they won seven games a year ago, and battled for a playoff spot until late in the season.
Josh Edwards from CBS Sports recently put out his 2020 all-breakout team, showing which players entering Year 2 that he felt were on the verge of breaking out this season. While the Raiders had plenty of rookies who stepped up in 2019, only one made the list, and for good reason.
2019 draft class was loaded
The the-Oakland Raiders had a monster 2019 draft, holding three first round picks, and really adding elite talent after the first round. Guys like Trayvon Mullen (second round), Maxx Crosby (fourth round), and Hunter Renfrow (fifth round) proved to be key components as rookies, as Mayock hit a home run in his first draft as an NFL general manager.
Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, and Johnathan Abram were Mayock’s first round picks, and while Jacobs took the NFL by storm, the jury is still out on Ferrell and Abram. Abram missed nearly the entire 2019 season with a shoulder injury, and Ferrell struggled early on, before playing his best football down the stretch.
Some already had a breakout season
Miles Sanders was the choice at running back on the team, which makes sense, considering he had a solid rookie season, and looked the part of a true feature back. Jacobs, who should have won the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year already had his breakout season, so it would not make much sense to put him on the team.
Jacobs set a Raiders rookie rushing record with his 1,100-plus yards in 2019, and did a lot of his damage with a fractured shoulder. In 2020, expect Jacobs to be utilized in the passing game a bit more as well, making him the total package for the Raiders at running back.
In addition, Crosby was not named at all, but after posting ten sacks last season, he, like Jacobs, has already broken out as well. Crosby actually had better stats than Nick Bosa, who won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, and he will be a leader on a defensive line in Vegas that continues to trend in the right direction.
Johnathan Abram named to the list
Johnathan Abram was the Raiders third of three first round picks in 2019, and during the team’s run on HBO’s Hard Knocks, he instantly became a star. Whether it was debating on how to say the world salmon, or just playing up to the camera, Abram took the world by storm, and it did not take long for him to make his presence felt at the NFL level.
Unfortunately, Abram saw his season end in Week 1 last year, as he tore his rotator cuff in the team’s home win against the Denver Broncos. Heading into Year 2, expectations are pretty high for Abram, who plays with a punishing style from his safety position, reminiscent of Raiders safeties from the past.
Abram is definitely a player Raider Nation is excited to see play next season, and the hope is that he can be a cornerstone player in this Raiders secondary for years to come. He plays the game with passion, and on a young Raiders defense, he should become the vocal leader of the group.
The AFC West was very well-represented on the 2020 all-breakout team, showing why the division is one of the best in football. Drew Lock and Dalton Risner represented the Denver Broncos, Juan Thornhill and Mecole Hardman were listed from the Kansas City Chiefs, and Drue Tranquill was the lone Los Angeles Chargers to make the team.