The Las Vegas Raiders are expected to draft former Indiana Hoosiers QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick once the NFL Draft gets underway on April 23. However, that decision will be the easiest the Silver and Black have during the three days of the draft.
It’s what the team should do after that when the decision-making gets interesting. On Day 2, the Raiders have the No. 36 and No. 67 picks to add behind whoever they select with the No. 1 pick, and if it is Mendoza, FS1’s Colin Cowherd noted what Las Vegas should do with their second- and third-round picks.
“I’m fascinated to see if the Raiders trade up to get Omar Cooper at the top of the second round or if he falls to them,” Cowherd said on the April 12 edition of “The Colin Cowherd Podcast.” “If I were the Raiders and could land Cooper, the favorite target of Fernando Mendoza, that would be my pick: Quarterback [and] wide receiver…
“My take is they’re going to go get a tackle. They need a right tackle. They drafted a kid a couple of years ago in the third round who can play inside or outside, and he’s OK. My take is I would just go quarterback, receiver, tackle. Then, if you have defensive needs, go for it. Just make sure you get the quarterback right.”
Should the Raiders Pursue Denzel Boston?
Another receiver that would make sense for the Raiders is former Washington Huskies star Denzel Boston. Las Vegas could be patient and see which wideout falls out of the first round, then snag them early in the second round; that would be the safe approach.
However, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes believes the Raiders should get aggressive. For Kimes, she would like the Silver and Black to jump back in the first round to draft Boston.
“If you’ve got a big guy who catches everything, do we stop liking that in the NFL? Which brings me to the team that I want to take [Boston],“ Kimes said in an April 9 video from “The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny.” “I want the Las Vegas Raiders to trade back into the first round and get Fernando Mendoza the X receiver he deserves.
“The best throw in Fernando Mendoza’s arsenal is that beautiful back-shoulder ball that’s on the money. He needs a big-bodied receiver who catches everything. It’s such a missing component right now in their offense.”
Last season for the Huskies, Boston posted an 87.7 overall PFF grade, ranking 14th among 679 qualified wide receivers. His 86.6 receiving grade also stood out, placing him 25th among the same group. Moreover, he finished the year with 56 catches on 86 targets for 755 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.5 yards per reception.
Brock Bowers Gets Praise From Kirk Cousins
Mendoza or possibly veteran QB Kirk Cousins will need that No. 1 guy, which Boston could be if he lives up to his potential. Nonetheless, the Raiders have one of the best pass-catchers in Brock Bowers, so any young wideout won’t have the pressure of being the go-to guy right out of the gate.
In a video published on the Raiders’ YouTube channel on April 6, Cousins didn’t hold back his thoughts on the tight end.
“I think he may be the best tight end in football, “ Cousins said. “Hopefully, we can make that a reality this fall, but we’ve got to keep him healthy, just like some of the other great players on this team.”
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