While it’s assumed that the Raiders will take a wide receiver with the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, nothing is certain with Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden running the show in Las Vegas. On Saturday night of the NFL Combine, Mayock appeared on the broadcast, talking about how poorly their defense played this season.
Would it be a complete surprise if the team used the No. 12 and No. 19 picks in the first round to address their defense? It shouldn’t be. The Raiders should be able to upgrade their wide receiver depth in free agency, and this wide receiver class is as deep as ever. However, the one that dries up quickly is at edge rusher.
In Ryan Wilson’s latest mock draft at CBS Sports, he has the Raiders selecting LSU pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson. While Chaisson is an incredibly raw player, his upside is incredible. Take a look at why Wilson believes this could be a perfect match for the team and the player:
K’Lavon Chaisson might be only 254 pounds but he plays with such strength and leverage that he frequently marches offensive tackles that outweigh him by 50 pounds into the quarterback’s lap. He needs to play with more consistency, but that will come with experience.
Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli is always searching for a bendy, right edge rusher who can win with speed. In Dallas, he had Robert Quinn and Randy Gregory, and in Tampa Bay, he had Simeon Rice. Chaisson projects as that same type of player in the NFL and would be the perfect complement to Clelin Ferrell and Maxx Crosby.
Don’t be surprised if the Raiders decide to take a player like Chaisson over some of the top receivers in this draft due to their need on the defensive side of the ball.
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