General Manager Mike Mayock was an elite hire by the Raiders franchise
By Brad Weiss
General Manager Mike Mayock was an elite hire by the Raiders franchise
Dominating the NFL Draft
As previously mentioned, Mayock inherited a franchise that had traded away some of their biggest stars to stack first round picks. Khalil Mack was traded away prior to the 2018 NFL season, bringing back two first rounds, and wide receiver Amari Cooper was traded during that same campaign.
Cooper brought back a first round pick, so when the time came for Mayock to approach his first NFL Draft, he had three first round picks. An analyst for the NFL Network’s draft coverage, Mayock has a distinct advantage when it comes to the draft, and it has shown through his first two years picking for the Silver and Black.
2019 first round pick Josh Jacobs should have won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and his other two first rounders that year, Clelin Ferrell and Johnathan Abram are going to be cornerstones on the defense for years to come. Second rounder Trayvon Mullen rounded into a true CB1 last year, and fourth round pick Maxx Crosby challenged for the NFL’s Defensive ROokie of the Year honors.
In addition to those guys, the 2019 class netted the team Hunter Renfrow, who was automatic on third down as a rookie, and Foster Moreau, who proved to be quite the red zone threat.
The 2020 class has yet to play in a regular season game, but there is a lot of hype surrounding them. First rounder Henry Ruggs III is supposed to come in and lead a revamped wide receiver unit, and fellow first round pick Damon Arnette should help solidify the cornerback position.
As he did the previous year, Mayock landed some key prospects after the first round, as Lynn Bowden Jr., Bryan Edwards, Tanner Muse, and Amik Robertson are all supposed to make an impact as rookies. John Simpson, an offensive guard from Clemson, will sit behind the veterans in Year 1, but he is a building block for this offensive line moving forward.