Could the Las Vegas Raiders be rebuilding again heading into 2021?
By Brad Weiss
Looking back at the Raiders last two drafts
As stated before, the Raiders have had the perfect opportunity to kickstart the rebuild over the past two NFL Drafts, as they held five first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 collectively. After winning only four games during the 2018 campaign, the Raiders held the No. 4 overall pick in 2019, and the expectation was that they would bring in a replacement for Mack in Josh Allen from Kentucky.
Instead, the Raiders added Clemson star Clelin Ferrell, and while he has improved in his first two seasons in the league, he is nowhere near the dominant edge-rusher this team needed at the time. Later in that first round, the Raiders did hit on Josh Jacobs, an elite running back since joining the league, but the jury is still out on Johnathan Abram.
Three swings, one hit.
In 2020, the Raiders went into the draft needing help at the wide receiver position, and to their luck, all of the elite prospects were still on the board when they picked at No. 11 overall. Their selection? Alabama speedster Henry Ruggs III, who fits the mold of an Al Davis selection, but did not do much to help this team as a rookie.
Later in round one, it appeared Las Vegas reached again, adding Damon Arnette, a Day 2 prospect who was injured, and inconsistent as a rookie. Looking at production, you would have to say that these two missed in 2020, but they have more than enough time to change that narrative.