Las Vegas Raiders trade up for Tua Tagovialoa in wild 7-round mock draft
852. . WR. Golden Gophers . Tyler Johnson. 3. player
TRADES: Raiders trade pick No. 80 to Jets for No. 110, 171, 2021 fifth-round pick | Raiders trade picks No. 91, 110 to Titans for No. 93, 156, 188, 2021 sixth-round pick
After the trade up to get Tua Tagovailoa, the Raiders were left with only two of their three third-round picks and nothing else. So rather than end the 2020 NFL Draft with only three new additions, they make the most of those two picks.
With the Jets, they trade No. 80 for a fourth and sixth-round pick along with a future fifth-rounder. Then they get on the horn with the Titans and trade down two spots in the third round and trade the fourth-rounder acquired from the Jets to end up with a fifth and sixth-round pick in 2020 in addition to another future selection in 2021. Yes, these trades do feature a lot of moving down but having more throws at the dartboard is what the Raiders need after the Tua trade.
Finally sitting at No. 93 overall and making their selection, Las Vegas goes after getting Tagovailoa a weapon. While Darren Waller was a star in 2019 and Tyrell Williams and Hunter Renfrow had moments, the wide receiver corps for the silver and black is lacking quite substantially. Tyler Johnson out of Minnesota can change that.
It appears that the draft analyst community is split on Johnson between people who think he’s fringe-first-round talent and others that think he’s just fine. I fall in the former category and am more than happy to split the difference and get him at the end of the third round here.
Johnson isn’t a burner, isn’t a physical marvel and isn’t a guy who’s just an outright freak. What he is, however, is a refined route-runner with the proven ability to create separation with crafty, nuanced footwork. Whether in the middle or down the field, Johnson can lose his coverage and give his quarterback a target. Furthermore, his phenomenal hands and ability to track the football make him a reliable option. He can be a Day 1 starter that gives Tua some firepower.