Loser: Las Vegas Raiders
Henry Ruggs III and Damon Arnette are two quality players, but given where the Raiders drafted them and which players were still on the board at Nos. 12 and 19, respectively, the selections were a bit confusing.
Ruggs is a speedy and dynamic playmaker at wide receiver, but one could argue that fellow receivers CeeDee Lamb and Ruggs’ college teammate Jerry Jeudy might have been better selections. The same goes for Arnette, who is a fluid and physical cornerback, but he doesn’t have incredible speed or a sky-high ceiling. Many analysts had him pegged as a Day 2 pick, so seeing him get selected in the top 20 was certainly unexpected.
The Raiders have done a good job of stockpiling young talent under Jon Gruden, but some of their picks have been a bit questionable. While there’s no doubt that both Ruggs and Arnette can be good starters at the next level – with Ruggs having quite a high ceiling – the initial values of each selection appears a bit confusing.