2019 NFL Draft: Projected First Round after NFL Combine

The Raiders are another team who would be interested in Josh Jacobs if the Ravens pass on him at No. 22. If he’s gone, I expect Oakland’s attention to either be on a wide receiver or a cornerback/safety.

Oklahoma’s Marquise Brown wasn’t able to participate in much at the combine due to injury, but he’s still a dynamic prospect who the Raiders would be happy to see fall this far in the first round. He could easily go much earlier than this, but there’s always need based picks that cause talented players like him to fall.

Brown produced consecutive 1,000 yard seasons with the Sooners as the preferred option for Heisman Trophy winners Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. He’s got excellent top-end speed to take the top off of defenses. He’s the feared vertical threat that could stretch the field for the Raiders.

Brown is the top receiver available, but Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry and Ole Miss’ A.J. Brown are two other options who might be a better fit as weapons for Derek Carr. With Oakland holding an early second round pick (No. 35 overall), they could look at other ancillary needs and take the best available receiver with their first pick of the second round.

Upgrades are sorely needed in the defensive backfield, with both safety and corner a concern moving forward. That would put Georgia’s Deandre Baker in play with this pick, and all of the top safeties remain on the board at this point of the draft. Delaware’s Nasir Adderley, Alabama’s Deionte Thompson, and Mississippi State’s Johnathan Abram all boast a wealth of potential that the Raiders might jump on.