After the release of Henry Ruggs last season, wide receiver is once again a need for the Las Vegas Raiders heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.
After former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who was developing a great rapport with Derek Carr, got released after a DUI resulting in the death of a young woman and her dog, the team had a big hole in the depth chart. Then, Darren Waller got injured during the Thanksgiving game against the Dallas Cowboys, and the need for another No. 1 wide receiver was apparent despite Hunter Renfrow’s career year.
The Raiders’ deep plays down the field suffered significantly without Ruggs’s speed and the combination of Zay Jones and DeSean Jackson couldn’t get it done even with Jones having his best statistical year as well as Renfrow. Zay just didn’t have the downfield speed necessary for separation but he was a first down machine.
Jackson just couldn’t get going other than his only touchdown with the Raiders which was a 50-yard catch and run in that game against the Cowboys. The Raiders need a wide receiver with speed and the ability to separate and get open down the field.
Here are five players in the 2022 NFL Draft I believe have that ability and will turn this offense closer to what it was in 2020.