It is nearly unanimous that the Raiders figure to take a wide receiver at the top of the draft. But with their current roster of receivers, one may not be enough.
At the scouting combine in late February, Mayock seemed to hint that there could be some wide receiver talent that could go in the first couple rounds in most drafts who will still be on the board in the third round.
“The average over the last five years for wide receivers that go in the first three rounds of the draft is about 12. It’s between 12 and 13 a year,” said Mayock. “You can easily make an argument from a grade perspective that there are 20 to 25 of those guys out there this year. Now, that’s just from a grade perspective. I’m not saying 20 to 25 are going. So, there’s depth throughout and there’s quality up top. So, I think from a wideout [perspective] that’s what you’re looking for in any class and on paper today in February that’s what we see.”
As it happens, the Raiders have three picks in the third round (80, 81, 91) as well as a pick in the fourth round (121) and the fifth round (159).
That’s a lot of chances to get a talented receiver to bulk up the overall wide receiver corps. I zeroed in on three receivers who I like for the Raiders in those middle rounds.
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