2020 NFL mock draft round up: A collection of round one selections for the Raiders

Super Bowl 54 is just one week away, and for the fans of the other 30 teams in the league who are not participating in the big game,it’s time to think about the 2020 season. This year’s NFL draft is scheduled for April 23 in Las Vegas.

The Raiders hold the 12th and 19th picks overall in the first round of the draft and will have plenty of talent to choose from. Conventional wisdom would tell you wide receiver is the biggest need, followed by linebacker and cornerback.

One of the fun parts about this time of the year is getting ready for the upcoming draft season. With the Senior Bowl behind us and the NFL scouting combine just a few weeks away, mock draft season has officially commenced.

Here is a round up of some of the early mock drafts from some notable draft analyst and websites.

Mel Kiper Jr.- ESPN

12. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

Finally the first wide receiver comes off the board, and it’s to a team that thought it had a No. 1 receiver when it traded for Antonio Brown last March. That didn’t happen, of course, and when the Raiders cut Brown before the season, there was a massive hole in Derek Carr’s weaponry (even after a breakout season from Darren Waller). Lamb is a big-time playmaker with great hands who will step in, catch a bunch of passes and score touchdowns. This team isn’t that far off from contending — don’t forget that it sat at 6-4 before a late-season collapse, and it was only eliminated from the playoffs in Week 17 — and Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have two first-round picks and three third-rounders with which to work.

19. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

Yes, this means two Sooners to Vegas in this projection, this time with my top-ranked inside linebacker taking over in the middle of the Raiders’ defense. Murray is a chiseled, gifted talent with great athleticism for his size (6-foot-2, 240). He needs to improve in coverage, but he has the speed to match tight ends in space and is so fun to watch on tape as a tackler and penetrator. I also thought about a corner here — the Raiders allowed quarterbacks to throw for 8.3 yards per attempt, tied for highest in the league — but I like the fit with Murray in Paul Guenther’s defense.

Daniel Jeremiah- NFL Network

12. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

The Raiders need more playmakers. I believe Lamb is the best receiver in this draft class.

19. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

The Raiders need to get faster and more dynamic on defense. Queen plays sideline to sideline, and he’s outstanding in coverage.

Walter Football

12. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

The Raiders wanted to have Antonio Brown as their top receiver in 2019, but their plans went awry. Here’s a new No. 1 receiver to replace him. CeeDee Lamb is a terrific route runner with great hands. He’s been amazing this year and is now the No. 2 receiver on my board.

19. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

The Raiders have needed help at linebacker for quite some time. They may finally address the position with one of their first-round picks, as Jon Gruden can obtain his new Derrick Brooks. Kenneth Murray was co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in the Big XII, thriving in coverage for the Sooners. He broke an Oklahoma record for tackles in a game with 28. Murray has excellent instincts and has great speed and athleticism for coverage.

Drafttek

12. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama

Dear Mr. Carr, here is your WR1. There are no more excuses. I know it didn’t work out with the guy with the frozen feet and broken brain, and that isn’t your fault. It’s also not your fault that faux-WR1 Tyrell Williams had lingering injuries or that your diminutive, balding, but surprisingly-effective pass catcher missed a few games. Please consider your role in the team’s failure down the stretch and the continued struggles in the cold. I’d hesitate to blame God for your smallish hands that make throwing in weather a struggle, and I wouldn’t blame you entirely, either. However, you need to look in the mirror there. I do blame you for throwing the ball away, and a general failure to be aggressive that results in a pathetic 4.9 Average Completed Air Yards - ranking 35th out of 39 qualifying QBs, behind mediocre QBs like David Blough, Joe Flacco, Mitch Trubisky, Case Keenum, and Gardner Minshew. Take a freaking shot downfield, dude! Frankly, you haven’t instilled me with confidence, but I like you. You’ve been a good Raider, and I want you to succeed. That’s why I’m giving you a burner who will make you look good. Get it in his hands! Please make the most of this opportunity because, now, there are no more excuses.

19. Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

Mock letter to Derek Carr aside, the Raiders won’t fail to address the WR position with at least one of their RD1 selections. It’d be a shame if they decline to address a LB position held together by chewing gum (I’ve said duct tape in the past, but that’s too strong). The team’s best LB, Tahir Whitehead, was charted by Pro Football Reference as allowing a 78.5% completion rate that netted opposing QBs 687 yards and 6 TDs. Meanwhile, Whitehead —and the rest of the unit— failed to provide anything in the way of big plays (sacks, INTs, FFs). Quite frankly, they suck. With Isaiah Simmons gone by #12, that leaves Kenneth Murray as a prime target. It’s a slight reach, but the Sooner is a legit first rounder. At Linebacker, that means you’re adding a guy that should immediately elevate the defense. With Murray as an impact run defender and an athletic prospect in coverage, look for him to join Clelin Ferrell, Maxx Crosby, Trayvon Mullen, and Jonathan Abram as the long-term anchors of this defense. Passing on Murray here would be a mistake if the draft plays out this way, but, it would be tempting to consider taking Henry Ruggs or Tee Higgins to pair with Jeudy —doubling down to make an elite tandem for years to come.

Sporting News

12. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

The Raiders need help on the back end after getting consistently burned this season despite some improvements in the pass rush. Fulton (6-1, 192 pounds) has the size, speed, smarts and sound coverage skills to have a long, prosperous career.

19. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

The Raiders need to get stronger in their interior front with a Geno Atkins-like player for Paul Guenther. They can look to Will Muschamp’s defense, where the 6-6, 310-pound Kinlaw posted 6 sacks in 12 games for the Gamecocks. Offensive tackle also will get consideration with this pick.