The 2020 NFL Draft was supposed to one that was a franchise-changer for the Las Vegas Raiders. With two picks inside the top-20 and three third-round selections, the draft set up well for the Raiders to find multiple long-term starters on both sides of the ball. But after one year, their draft haul has underwhelmed.
But in a recent article by Chris Roling of Bleacher Report, he gave the Raiders a “C” for the 2020 draft class. Here is a snippet of what Rolling had to say about the picks the team made last year:
“Henry Ruggs III never seemed to find his footing, appearing in 13 games and recording only 452 yards and two scores. Damon Arnette struggled en route to a 41.7 PFF grade. The Raiders traded away Lynn Bowden Jr. before the season even began, and Bryan Edwards played only 12 games. Meanwhile, a toe injury sidelined Tanner Muse all year.
Can this draft class turn things around a play a key role in the Raiders eventually contending? Absolutely. Better health is the first step toward actual development and seeing returns on the investments.”
This draft will ultimately be decided by how the two first-round picks perform during their careers with the Raiders. Ruggs had the stronger rookie season despite missing a ton of time. Arnette was injured as well, but his play was less-than-stellar.
There is still a ton of time left for these young players, but the 2021 season will be big for their development.
