Potential draft fits for Raiders on Day 2

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, April 24, 2020 | 2 a.m.

Today figures to be another busy day for the Raiders, as Las Vegas owns three picks in the third round of the NFL Draft.

Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden addressed two needs in the first round by taking wide receiver Henry Ruggs at No. 12 and cornerback Damon Arnette at No. 19, but teams are built on Day 2 and Day 3 picks, so today’s selections could eventually prove to be just as important as the first rounders.

And there are still a lot of promising players on the board. A rundown of some names to watch for the Raiders today based on need, fit and potential:

Jalen Hurts, Quarterback, Oklahoma

There was some buzz about Hurts possibly sneaking into the first round, but that didn’t happen and he’s now widely viewed as the most intriguing quarterback still available. Hurts isn’t an obvious fit in a Gruden offense, but if a coach is willing to scheme around his inaccuracy and emphasize his athleticism, he could be productive in the pros.

Hurts is a playmaker at heart:

Hurts may not last to pick No. 80, so the Raiders might have to trade up if they really like him. It’s unlikely but shouldn’t be ruled out completely.

Antoine Winfield Jr., Safety, Minnesota

I’m higher on Winfield than most and would have applauded the Raiders taking him at No. 19 overall. He’s still available though (probably due to his lack of size), and Las Vegas could use a player with his smarts in the secondary:

Winfield intercepted seven passes last year and would immediately give the Raiders a boost in deep pass coverage. For a franchise that has to play the Kansas City Chiefs twice a year, that has a lot of value.

Like Hurts, the Raiders would probably have to trade up into the second round to secure Winfield.

Zack Baun, Linebacker, Wisconsin

The Raiders added a pair of free-agent linebackers in Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkoski, but the position could still use some love. Baun would beef up the depth chart with his athleticism and ability to rush the passer (13.0 sacks last year).

Denzel Mims, Wide receiver, Baylor

Mayock and Gruden clearly wanted to upgrade the speed in the receiving corps, which is why they made Henry Ruggs the top pass-catcher off the board in the first round. A Mims selection would be doubling down on that endeavor, as the 6-foot-3 Baylor product was one of the fastest outside threats in the nation in 2019:

I had Mims pegged as a first-round pick, but in such a deep receiver class he may be getting lost in the shuffle. He’s a great deep threat, but not very versatile — yet. He could be available when Las Vegas’ cluster of third round picks come around.

Ashtyn Davis, Safety, Cal

Speaking of one-trick ponies, Davis possesses one skill that could interest the Raiders — his ability to cover the deep part of the field. He’s not going to help in run support or walk up and cover slot receivers man-to-man, but he might be the best safety in the class when it comes to dropping into the middle of the field and cutting off deep passing lanes.

Xavier McKinney, Safety, Alabama

It was somewhat surprising to see McKinney slip out of the first round considering how well he played at Alabama last year. And unlike Davis, he can hit (95 tackles, 3.0 sacks) as well as cover (three interceptions, five passes defensed):

McKinney is unlikely to make it out of the second round unless there’s some underlying issue that hasn’t become public yet.

Antonio Gibson, WR/RB, Memphis

One of the more intriguing offensive weapons in the draft, Gibson is just waiting for an imaginative coach to pluck him and turn him into a star. He checked in at 6-foot, 228 pounds at the combine, then proceeded to run a 4.39 40-yard dash, making him one of the better size/speed combos at the skill positions. That’s “positions,” plural, because Gibson split his time almost equally between receiver and running back in 2019.

He caught 38 passes for 735 yards and eight touchdowns and carried 33 times for 369 yards and four touchdowns. That’s 19.3 yards per reception and a ridiculous 11.2 yards per carry. If he’s there in the third round, Gibson’s high ceiling will be tough to ignore.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.