The Oakland Raiders have turned the page. John Gruden is in his third year as head coach and Mike Mayock is in his second year of being the General Manager. They made their moves last year, and though their picks didn’t make every play that the fans wanted them to, Rome wasn’t built in a day. As cliché as that sounds it’s true. This year, the Raiders have drafted very well addressing every need to this point. The Third round concluded earlier tonight and the Raiders have drafted five picks that could all be potential game changers in John Gruden’s system. Henry Ruggs, drafted twelfth overall in the first round has so much promise to be an elite receiver in the NFL. Clocking a 4.27 forty, he has the speed to take on routes that John Gruden will drawl up specifically for him. The Raiders had two first round draft picks and they used them both wisely. With the nineteenth overall pick, the Raiders selected Damon Arnette, cornerback out of Ohio State. Ohio State always produces great talent and Arnette is a prime example. He is a physical corner who’s not afraid to make tackles and pursue. The Raiders secondary hasn’t been the best the last few seasons and Gruden and Mayock are trying to address the issue. With this pick it’s clear that they want physical playmakers at the cornerback position and drafting Arnette was a step in the right directions. With the eightieth overall pick in the third round, the Raiders selected running back/wide receiver Lynn Bowden out of Kentucky. In the last few seasons, Kentucky has really come into their own as a program in the tough SEC. Lynn Bowden has been a part of those last few great Wildcat teams and he’s a duel threat as he can not only run the ball, but he has great hands as well. John Gruden looks for players like him to use in all types of situations. There’s no doubt that Gruden is working on an offensive juggernaut. The Raiders had back to back picks in the third round as they selected Bryan Edwards, wide receiver out of South Carolina. Edawrds is another tough receiver out of the SEC that seems to be a play maker. The Raiders would go on to select Tanner Muse, linebacker out of Clemson with the one hundredth pick in the third round and this just shows how much John Gruden and Mike Mayock respect Coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson program. Last year the Raiders selected defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the fourth overall pick in the first round and cornerback Trayvon Mullen with the fortieth overall pick in the second round. Both players are out of Clemson and both players had just come off a National Championship. With the pick of Tanner Muse, you can see that Mayock and Gruden see something in the leadership and in the desire in the players that come out of Clemson. Tanner Muse can be added to a linebacker core that needs work. Overall, through the first three rounds, the Raiders have looked great!
Blog By Larry B.
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