The ‘big wigs’ in the mock draft business are weighing in this week. Earlier this week it was NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah putting out his first mock draft, and today ESPN’s Mel Kiper who dropped his first of the offseason. He seems in pretty much agreement with the consensus on who the Raiders will select.
The most popular pick by far for the Raiders at 12 overall in our recent mock draft database was Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb. Kiper likes Lamb at 12 as well.
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. I have him just above Jerry Jeudy at this point. 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.
The most popular pick for the Raiders at 19 overall (from Chicago) by far is Lamb’s Oklahoma teammate, linebacker Kenneth Murray. That’s where Kiper sees the Raiders going as well.
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.
We’re still in the group think portion of the offseason. You figure things will start moving around as we hit the Senior Bowl, Scouting Combine, and Free Agency.
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