Las Vegas Raiders full 2020 NFL mock draft

Mayock has done nothing to indicate that Derek Carr won’t be the Raiders quarterback in 2020, but don’t expect that to dissuade him from taking one in this draft.

The signing of Marcus Mariota could do more to indicate the type of player the team values in a quarterback, in which case Jalen Hurts makes sense with the first of their three third-round selections.

Hurts has made a name for himself at two of the biggest programs in college football and is consistently lauded for his leadership and character. There are plenty of issues with his reading of opposing coverages and decision-making at times, but I don’t think that will tip the scales compared with what he does well for a team like Las Vegas.

Mayock has previously said that it’s unfair to criticize a prospect too much for not excelling in areas they weren’t asked to do as part of their college scheme. The Oklahoma offense wasn’t designed for Hurts to be making complex reads, which could be why the Raiders feel the upside of his athleticism and leadership can trump any coachable deficiencies in his game.

If the Raiders find a trade partner for Carr or cut him after next season, Hurts could be in line to provide valuable depth for whomever the organization tabs at quarterback moving forward.

Even after adding former Cowboy Jeff Heath in free agency, the Raiders will likely add a safety in the draft to provide further depth in the secondary.

One name in the third round that stands out is Notre Dame’s Alohi Gilman. A former transfer from the Naval Academy, Gilman excels at playing downhill and is an outstanding competitor. He offers plenty of athleticism and is an excellent special teams player, something that will likely be his fastest route to playing time at the NFL level.

Signing a veteran like Heath will allow a player like Gilman to develop and hopefully give Vegas a mid-round steal at safety.

The Raiders hit a home run with first-rounder Josh Jacobs in 2019 but after missing three games due to injury, I can see Mayock pursuing more depth at running back in 2020.

Maryland’s Anthony McFarland Jr. is one of the smaller backs in the class but has electric deep speed and the capability to break off any run for a touchdown. He was high school teammates with Chase Young and opted to stay in-state, despite offers from numerous other big programs.

The former Terrapin can offer a nice change-of-pace to Jacobs’ style and ideally help to keep him healthy in the future.