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Las Vegas Raiders trade up for Tua Tagovialoa in wild 7-round mock draft

By Cody Williams

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 31: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after passing for a touchdown in the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 31: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts after passing for a touchdown in the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The Raiders make a splash for their move to Las Vegas by trading up to get Tua Tagovailoa in this seven-round mock draft for 2020.

The Las Vegas Raiders were in the playoff mix in their final season playing in Oakland. Head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock made strides with this roster that few people saw possible in the 2019 campaign. However, shortcomings on defense and from Derek Carr and the offense kept them out of the postseason and led them to a 7-9 overall finish for the year.

Having said that, the progress that the Raiders made under the vision of this coach-front office duo was apparent. While it may not be the most orthodox method of modern team-building — i.e. trading Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper — the framework is beginning to take shape and, as the franchise now moves to Las Vegas, they have the opportunity to enjoy first-year success in a new city.

While that may be true, the Raiders have big questions to answer in the 2020 offseason and, the 2020 NFL Draft could be critical for that. Gruden and Mayock enter the draft with two first-round picks, three selections in Round 3 and fourth- and fifth-round picks as well. They can get some high-quality players with those selections — or they could make a game-changing splash.

Talk of moving on from Carr at quarterback has been rampant for some time now and this is a rich quarterback class. Armed with the draft capital they have and in need of getting a superstar face to brand themselves around in Las Vegas, the Raiders might be in position to make a monumental move up in the draft with a trade to get a quarterback.

Of course, a trade up in the first round will cost the Raiders dearly in terms of that draft capital. Thus, Gruden and Mayock will have to work to recoup more picks by retaining some of the mid-round selections and continuing to make deals. But that’s possible, at least in theory.

Full disclosure, it would be incredibly shocking to see the Las Vegas Raiders 2020 NFL Draft play out like this. But let’s get wild for a minute and see what the Raiders could do if they make the big trade up in the first round to get one of the premier quarterbacks in the class in this chaotic but possibly franchise-making 7-round mock draft. (Note: This mock draft was compiled using The Draft Network Premium and the mock draft machine.)

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