Raiders treasure chest of first-round picks has turned into Fool’s Gold

Raiders treasure chest of first-round picks has turned into Fool’s Gold

2020 NFL Draft

Henry Ruggs III (No. 12)

After picking three times in the first round in 2019, the Raiders had two shots to bring in some elite talent in 2020, starting with the No. 12 overall pick. Needing a wide receiver in the worst way, Las Vegas had their pick of first-round names, including guys like CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, and even Justin Jefferson.

Instead, they took speedster Henry Ruggs III from Alabama with the selection, and after an up-and-down rookie season, he appeared to be hitting his stride in 2021. That was until the bye week, when he was the alleged drunk driver in a crash that took the life of 23-year old Tina Tintor, a crash that Ruggs was behind the wheel and going excess of 150 miles per hour.

The crash ended his time with the Raiders and likely ended his NFL career, as he faces 50-plus years in prison for the accident. Ruggs could have been a special player for the Raiders and was developing a nice rapport with Derek Carr, but those days are long gone.

Damon Arnette (No. 19)

Seven picks later, the Las Vegas Raiders shocked the NFL landscape by selecting Ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette. Seen by most experts as a Day 2 pick, Arnette struggled to stay healthy in Year 1, and when he was on the field, he was another first-round defensive back that was nothing more than a liability.

In Year 2, Arnette had his issues on and off the field, and his tenure with the team ended when he threatened to kill people with a gun on social media. Arnette was a mistake pick by Gruden and Mayock and should have never been the selection at No. 19.