It’s no secret, but the Raiders have a big hole at wide receiver right now. Hunter Renfrow is dominating from the slot, but the team doesn’t have an outside receiver that can strike fear into a defense.
That’s why it won’t be a surprise if the Raiders look to the 2022 draft to find some big-play potential at receiver. But what receiver might pique the interest of the Raiders early in Round 1?
In a recent mock draft done by Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, he had the Raiders addressing their wide receiver need in Round 1 with Treylon Burks from Arkansas. Here is a snippet of Sikkema’s thoughts on the SEC playmaker:
“You’re going to hear the D.K. Metcalf comp often throughout draft season as analysts and fans try to best explain what they’re seeing when they watch Burks at his best. The Arkansas pass-catcher lines up as a versatile receiver at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds — a similar size to Metcalf, who was in the 80th and 90th percentile for height and weight, respectively. But then you watch Burks blow by corners, and that’s when fans will really get the Metcalf flashbacks.”
Burks had a monster junior season for the Razorbacks, catching 67 passes for 1,123 yards and 11 touchdowns. The 6’3, 225-pound receiver finished his career averaging 16.4 yards per reception.
The Raiders desperately need a receiver that can take the top off the defense and that’s what Burks does best. Combine that with his SEC production and it’s not hard to see why he might be the first receiver to come off the board in April’s draft.
Keep an eye on Burks throughout the draft process as he is a likely Round 1 pick for the Las Vegas Raiders.
