The Las Vegas Raiders season came to an end but they have a lot of promise moving forward, especially if they can land an elite wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft
There were a lot of off-field concerns that could have derailed this season for the Las Vegas Raiders. First, they had to move on from head coach Jon Gruden who resigned amid some disturbing emails being leaked.
Rich Bisaccia took over after five games and somehow kept the team not only afloat, but they went 7-5 and made the postseason under his watch. Bisaccia also had to navigate through the release of Damon Arnette who went on a gun-wielding social media rampage as well as helping the team get through the shock of seeing Henry Ruggs involved in a DUI accident that took a young woman’s life.
Still, they fought hard and while they were knocked out of the playoffs in the opening round, the future is bright for this team. Especially if they can land a potentially elite wide receiver, which they do in this seven-round mock draft.
Las Vegas Raiders Round 1 Pick: Drake London, WR, USC
Drake London suffered a broken ankle in October which ended his final season with the USC Trojans early but he still proved to be a playmaker in his eight games this season. London averaged 11 receptions a game, finishing with 88 for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns.
In addition to his time as a football player, London also proved to be a very talented basketball player. His athleticism has been put on display often as has his ability to win the jump ball.
For Las Vegas, he should be able to develop into a No. 1 threat and given Derek Carr’s love of throwing deep, he will be a perfect fit as a big body on the boundary. Pairing him with Hunter Renfrow could be exactly what this offense needs to take their next step.