Raiders treasure chest of first-round picks has turned into Fool’s Gold
By Brad Weiss
Raiders treasure chest of first-round picks has turned into Fool’s Gold
Success after Day 1
It has not been all bad for Mayock and Gruden in terms of the NFL Draft, but those good feelings only come after Day 1 has finished up. In 2019, the year they drafted three times in the first round, their best players came on Day 3, as they drafted both Maxx Crosby and Foster Moreau in the fourth round, and then Hunter Renfrow in the fifth.
In 2020, the entire draft class has turned out to be a big-time miss, but at least guys like Bryan Edwards and John Simpson are starters right now. They have time to develop and have some talent, but they are also third and fourth-round picks, and to be leaning on them as key players right now shows how much this franchise is struggling.
This year, the Raiders may have missed on Leatherwood, but they got some great players, including Malcolm Koonce and Divine Deablo, two guys who have made the most of their extended time in recent weeks. Trevon Moehrig, their second-round pick has been outstanding, but the biggest win was Nate Hobbs, a fifth-round selection who has played at a Pro Bowl level all season long.