With just a few days left until the 2020 NFL Draft, the expectation is that the Raiders will still grab a receiver with the No. 12 pick. According to Peter King of NBC Sports, Mike Mayock “loves” CeeDee Lamb and the expectation is that he would be the selection, if available, with the team’s first pick.
But what the Raiders do at pick No. 19 is almost more fascinating. The team needs to upgrade its cornerback depth, but there could be more talented players available at that spot.
In a recent mock draft by NFL.com’s Rhett Lewis, South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw fell down to pick No. 19. Kinlaw is widely projected to be a top-20 selection, but without athletic testing numbers and a knee injury, it’s not unlikely that he could fall some in the draft.
The Raiders don’t have a massive need at defensive tackle, but it is worth noting that Maliek Collins signed just a one-year deal with the team. Kinlaw could sit behind Collins and Maurice Hurst as a rookie and then potentially fight for a starting job in 2021.
If this situation were to play out, the Raiders could then use their third-round picks to address the secondary or they could even move up for their best available cornerback. Either way, grabbing a talented defensive tackle like Javon Kinlaw at No. 19 would be a steal for Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden.
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