5th Round, WR Christian Watson, North Dakota State
While picking up Dotson in the second round is a no-brainer, landing Watson would give the Raiders a nice duo in this draft. The six-foot-four, 211-pounder simply stands out with his length and range. To his credit, he has a 4.44 40-time from his high school days, and he’ll likely meet that standard soon enough.
Watson’s speed is a thing to behold as he blazed past coverage in college and, last time anyone checked, the Raiders needed speed at wide receiver. His acceleration is exceptional, and he can create separation at all three levels of an opponent’s defenses. You won’t mistake him for Henry Ruggs III, but Watson’s speed is something that can’t be coached.
7th Round, CB Josh Blackwell, Duke
Josh Blackwell out of Duke would help round out a draft that addresses the Raiders’ most pressing needs. In the fourth round, Las Vegas selected Taylor, but with their final pick, they’ll go with Blackwell.
The Duke star accumulated 20 pass deflections over a four-year collegiate career, along with two tackles for a loss. Most notably, Blackwell was seventh in the ACC with seven interceptions last season. A special teams contributor, Blackwell played mostly outside corner, totaling 533 snaps last year, per PFF.
Raiders offense would flourish under Josh McDaniels
If Josh McDaniels becomes the next Las Vegas Raiders head coach, he'll likely keep them on the right track, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
There’d be low expectations for Blackwell out of the gate, but he has a knack for being around the ball. If there’s one thing the Raiders need to do more of in 2022, it is creating more turnovers. Having a corner that gets his hands on the ball will help.