The Raiders added arguably the best receiver in the NFL to their offense this season in Davante Adams. They even added a few quality veterans to round out the unit in Mack Hollins and Demarcus Robinson.
But the one thing they still lack on offense is home-run speed. The fastest receiving target they have on offense is probably Darren Waller (4.46 40-yard dash), but he’s not a vertical threat. They need someone who can take the top off the defense and stretch the field.
That’s why it’s not surprising that the Raiders have met with a few of the fastest receivers in this class. But where might they be targeting a speedy receiver? Higher than you would think.
According to Tony Pauline of the Pro Football Network, the Raiders have met with one of the most athletic receivers in the class in Christian Watson. Here is a snippet of what Pauline had to say about Watson:
“Christian Watson is one of the fastest-rising receivers in the draft, thanks in large part to his Senior Bowl and Combine performances. Watson was the most consistent pass-catcher during three days of practice in Mobile.
In Indianapolis, he ran the 40 in 4.34 seconds while hitting 38.5″ in the vertical jump and 11’4″ in the broad jump, all at 6’4″.
His visit list has been extensive and includes the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs.”
Watson averaged over 20 yards per reception during his college career and his best season came in 2021 (803 yards). He’s still pretty raw as a receiver, but his homerun speed combined with his size isn’t something you often see.
Pauline mentioned that no team he has talked to has a first-round grade on Watson, but he is still expected to be a mid-second-round pick. So if the Raiders want to add some speed to their receiving corps, they will likely need to make a big trade up from No. 86 to secure Watson.
But the one thing we know for sure is that the new front office for the Raiders isn’t afraid to be aggressive. If Watson falls to the 50s or 60s, don’t be stunned if the Raiders move up for him to complete their receiver corps.
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