Las Vegas Raiders NFL Draft Picks 2020: Round-by-Round Results, Grades

The Raiders became unexpected playoff contenders in 2019 but fell short of those expectations and finished 7–9.

The team took a huge hit before the season even started when it released Antonio Brown after a string of dramatic incidents. The Raiders dealt with injuries throughout the season and a lack of weapons. According to the MMQB's AFC West team needs, Las Vegas is still in need of a pass rusher and could target LSU's K'Lavon Chaisson in the draft. Due to the void left by Brown, the Raiders could also consider selecting wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and CeeDee Lamb.

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Last year, the Raiders added depth all over the field with first-round picks Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs and Johnathan Abram. The team drafted six other players in later rounds, including WR Hunter Renfrow who proved to be a key member of its offense.

The Raiders will pick No. 12 in this year's first round. A full list of Las Vegas' picks will be updated below as the draft progresses.

Round 1, pick 12 (No. 12 overall): Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama

Andy Benoit's analysis: We learned last year that the Raiders badly want a stud wide receiver, and now they have one who can actually be counted on. Ruggs has effortless, jaw-dropping speed, and he can produce at all three levels. That’s notable because few offensive architects are as creative and diverse in three-level passing concepts as Jon Gruden. Ruggs also presents terrifying big-play potential on jet sweeps and quick screens. Last season, the Raiders had far fewer 20-plus-yard air throws than most teams. That should change now—though to make the Ruggs pick fully worth it, you can bet Gruden will ride Derek Carr even harder about playing aggressively. Grade: B

Round 1, Pick 19 (No. 19 overall): Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State

Andy Benoit's analysis: Even though defensive coordinator Paul Guenther plays a lot of zone coverage with two safeties back deep, he has always prioritizing having talent at cornerback. Guenther coached a trio of first-round corners when he was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati (Dre Kirkpatrick, William Jackson and Darqueze Dennard), and now he has a 2020 first-round corner to pair opposite 2018 second-round corner Trayvon Mullen. (And Arnette was only selected because a free agent deal with the other former first-round corner that they had acquired, ex-Giant/Saint Eli Apple, fell through.)

“But just one problem,” the critics say. “Arnette is not REALLY a first-round corner. Most mock drafts had him going in Round 2, maybe even 3.” Maybe that’s valid, and that’s certainly the type of thing that will ding Las Vegas’s draft grade. But GM Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden couldn’t care less, and they understand that to assume a guy will go later in the draft, you are—on some level—assuming you know 31 other teams’ draft boards. It’s not the worst thing to like a player (a LOT, presumably) and pick that player. Grade: C-

Round 3, No. 80 overall: Lynn Bowden Jr., WR, Kentucky

Andy Benoit's analysis: This pick was likely made with the return game and offensive gadget plays in mind, given that Las Vegas’s receiving corps is fully, and very clearly fledged out (Tyrell Williams is the X, Henry Ruggs the Z, Hunter Renfrow the slot and Zay Jones and Nelson Agholor the depth providers). Grade: C+

Round 3, No. 81 overall: Bryan Edwards, WR, South Carolina

Andy Benoit's analysis: Well, and, um, this pick . . . um . . . this pick must also have been made with the return game in mind since, as we said, Las Vegas’s receiving corps is very clearly fledged out. Except that doesn’t make sense because Edwards had minimal punt return contributions at South Carolina. Well then, maybe this pick is about replacing Zay Jones, who really only runs shallow crossing routes. Or maybe what we’re dealing with is some sort of addiction as this marks three wide receivers taken in Las Vegas’s first five picks. Grade: D+

Round 3, No. 100 overall: Tanner Muse, S, Clemson

Andy Benoit's analysis: Muse is a safety-linebacker hybrid player. The Raiders likely see him as a potentially dynamic special teamer early on given that they already spent big money on capable cover linebackers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski. Grade: B

Round 4, No. 109 overall: John Simpson, G, Clemson

Round 4, No. 139 overall: Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech