The NFL Combine is finally here!

Before the prospects begin their position-specific workouts in Indianapolis, I thought I’d squeeze in a quick pre-combine mock draft. A trade was made. Buckle up.

1st Round, 12th Overall

CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma

Lamb (6’2″, 189 lbs) is my WR1 of the 2020 class. He caught 62 passes for 1,327 yards (21.4 yards/rec), adding 15 total touchdowns as a junior in 2019.

Three things to start with: solid route running, elite ball skills and strong hands. CeeDee’s a flat-out nightmare in the open field, but interestingly enough it’s not because he’s the fastest player – it’s more about body control and sudden movements that only rare, natural play-makers possess. He hits the gas, stops on a dime, cuts and turns on those jets again… toying with defenders in the process. Since the Raiders’ passing attack features a lot of quick passes that rely on receivers gaining additional yardage to move the chains, I think Lamb can fit the bill.

CeeDee’s also exceptional in jump ball situations, consistently rising above defenders and high-pointing the football. That can be beneficial in red zone situations and when you’re trying to go deep and make a big play.

To cap it all off, Lamb is a very capable blocker and will not get punked or pushed around. He’s that alpha male type. I like that.

Check out our draft profile on the former Sooner:

*** TRADE: Seattle gets 19, 92, 204 – Raiders get 27, 64, 133, 155 ***

Round 1, Pick 27

Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma

The silver and black NEED explosive, sideline-to-sideline linebackers that can cover on any type of respectable level… and that’s why Kenneth Murray could be a really nice addition to Paul Guenther’s defense. At 6’2″, 243 lbs, the junior linebacker appeared in 14 games, totaling 69 solo tackles, 17 TFLs and 4 sacks.

I really like his explosiveness to the football and ability to tackle when he gets his hands/body on the ball carrier. He’s got the athletic profile and physical tools that should carry over into a LB that can make an impact in coverage against tight ends and running backs. He can get caught up in the wash sometimes and struggle to detach from blockers, but it’s not due to a length or strength issue. I’d assume he just needs to refine his technique so he can be a bit more crafty when attempting to disengage and make the play.

Round 2, Pick 64

Jacob Eason, QB, Washington

The 6’6″, 227 lb Jacob Eason, who transferred from Georgia to Washington, completed 64.2% of his passes for 3,132 yards in 2019, adding 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

I truly believe the Raiders are going to add a quarterback in this draft, but not a first-round starter. My thought is that ole Chucky wants to take an appealing gunslinger that needs to be coached up to develop his upside.

Eason was in a system that worked both out of the gun and under center, showcasing a fearless arm and a pretty deep ball to back it up. However, when you think you can make any throw, there’s a tendency for sloppy footwork. That leads to inconsistency in ball placement and accuracy, which has to get cleaned up moving forward.

All of that would present a fun challenge for Gruden, and should it happen, the growth throughout Eason’s four-year rookie contract would be interesting. The cool part is, I don’t think it’s unrealistic to think he can win the primary backup spot year one. So, if Derek Carr or *cough cough* Tom Brady were to miss a game, it’d be the former Husky hypothetically getting his shot to gain some experience.

Round 3, Pick 80

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

As a senior in 2019, Denzel Mims caught 66 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns. He’s big (6’3″, 210 lbs), fast (track background), and tough. He can go up and get the football, using his size and ball skills to haul it in. Wouldn’t really say he’s a high-end or versatile route runner at this point, so that’ll need some work.

While I had the Raiders take Lamb at 12, I think double-dipping on wide outs is the way to go. That position, specifically on the outside, needs talent and depth. Mims, in my opinion, is worth a look in the third-round. Maybe he’s not the shifty WR that Gruden would normally prefer, but he’d theoretically backup Tyrell Williams at the X and that fit could make sense.

Denzel Mims caught EVERYTHING for @BUFootball yesterday 🙌🔥 pic.twitter.com/3SJsvAvvx5 — FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 24, 2019

Round 3, Pick 81

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU

As a junior, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (5’8″, 209 lbs) rushed 215 times for 1,414 yards and caught 55 passes for 453 yards, adding 17 total touchdowns in 2019.

In LSU’s National Championship victory against Clemson, the former Tiger carried the ball 16 times for 110 yards.

Although the silver and black clearly have their RB1 in Josh Jacobs and just re-signed Jalen Richard to continue in his role, I think it’s smart to take a versatile back late on day-2 or maybe early on day-3 to replace DeAndre Washington (assuming he isn’t re-signed). Edwards-Helaire can run with power in-between the tackles and excels in the receiving game with solid hands and impressive route running.

I can't get over how dominant Clyde Edwards-Helaire was tonight: A quick thread.



First … this touchdown that iced the game. He touched the ball 29 times. You will not tackle him. Not on this day. Not Alabama. pic.twitter.com/Fddo7cM9br — Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) November 10, 2019

Round 4, Pick 111

Alton Robinson, EDGE, Syracuse

6’4″, 260 lbs and explosive athleticism off the edge. I’m not saying he’ll be the next Maxx Crosby (like, at all), but raw, upside edge rushers in round 4 seem to fit well together.

Anyway, Robinson appeared in 35 career games at Syracuse, totaling 32 TFLs and 19 sacks. His most productive season as a pass rusher was in 2018, posting 10 sacks in 12 games as a junior.

He was originally was going to play at Texas A&M, but a second-degree robbery charge in 2016 made them rescind their offer and that led to him playing at Syracuse.

Round 4, Pick 133

A.J. Green, CB, Oklahoma State

Maybe the Raiders bring in Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green… or maybe they take Oklahoma State CB A.J.Green on day-3 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Green appeared in 40 career games as an OSU Cowboy, totaling 21 pass breakups, 6 interceptions and one defensive touchdown.

Green fits the physical profile that the Raiders seem to prefer (Trayvon Mullen is 6’2″, 200 lbs and Green is 6’1″, 199 lbs) and has experience in both man-to-man and zone coverage. On top of providing depth to the cornerback position early on, he surely projects to fill a role on special teams.

Round 5, Pick 155

Josh Jones, OT, Houston

Jones is a large man (6’5″, 310 lbs) and has the length and athleticism that Tom Cable could push for.

Per Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network, “Josh Jones is a high ceiling, low floor offensive tackle prospect who is an OL coach’s dream. With his natural skills, Jones showcases dominant physical flashes on the field and possesses the athletic ability to be a dominant pass blocker and weapon in the run game. But Jones’ skills need significant polish from the ground up — he’s still raw with his pass sets and footwork and can be too reactive in live action to over-set or over-pursue. Ideally he can be weaned into a starting role in the NFL.”

The seventh-round pick was sent to Seattle in the first-round trade back scenario. Shame on me. It’s clearly still early in mock draft season. I’ll be better next time.

Thanks for checking out the pre-combine mock draft! Comment and let me know what you think!

Also, feel free to check out our Top-25 Big Board 1.0:

2020 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD 1.0



I collaborated with @MHolder95 to bring you our top-25 prospects for April’s Las Vegas draft.



Let us know what you think! #NFLDraft #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/MuyDLNAR8r — Kris Wysong (@KrisWysong) February 15, 2020

Go Raiders!