Raiders nab wide receiver, safety in latest mock draft

Everything old is new again at the top of our fourth mock draft.

The top nine has returned in the same order as our first version in February, with the exception of the Dolphins and Chargers flipping quarterback selections at Nos. 5 and 6.

With Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy being drafted by the Jets with the 11th pick, the Raiders stick with Oklahoma wide receiver CeeDee Lamb with the 12th pick and opt for Alabama safety Xavier McKinney rather than LSU linebacker Patrick Queen with No. 19.

While this version may look familiar, the actual broadcast of the selection process will be quite different.

In just a few months, it has gone from a planned spectacle on the Las Vegas Strip that was going to put New Year’s Eve to shame to a strange mass videoconference.

The teams will be much more focused on whom they select than how the picks are made.

Here’s our best guess at each selection, with no trades factored in at this point, including a notation in parentheses of where that player was slotted in our third mock draft.

1. Cincinnati Bengals — Joe Burrow, QB, LSU (1)

There hasn’t been much mystery about this pick since the Bengals wrapped up the top spot. It’s possible they will listen to offers, but they would have to be blown away.

2. Washington Redskins — Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State (3)

There was brief speculation linking the Redskins to a quarterback, and it’s probably an option to consider. But Young is the best player in the draft. It would be difficult to pass up on a game-changing talent like this.

3. Detroit Lions — Jeff Okudah, CB, Ohio State (9)

The Lions control the first half of the first round to some degree. Teams looking to secure one of the other top two quarterbacks will be blowing up their Zoom meeting trying to strike a deal. Jacksonville is a team to watch. It may be willing to give the Lions extra picks to fill several holes. Okudah is an easy call for the Lions if they stay in this spot. He should immediately help their anemic pass defense.

4. New York Giants — Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson (4)

There may be a temptation to fill a gaping hole at offensive tackle, but the Giants can’t afford to let Simmons get past them. He has work to do to play linebacker in the NFL, but he is a pure playmaker who can fill several roles. He could be a star in New York.

5. Miami Dolphins — Justin Herbert, QB, Oregon (5)

The Dolphins would be thrilled if nobody jumps in front of them, giving them their choice between Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa has more raw talent and may be the pick in normal years. But the lack of direct contact and access to the team’s medical staff changes everything. The safer play gets the nod here.

6. Los Angeles Chargers — Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama (2)

The Chargers are faced with a difficult choice as a team looking for a franchise quarterback that also believes it can make the playoffs this season. They may look for a left tackle or plug another immediate hole and wait on a Jalen Hurts or Jake Fromm later in the draft, especially since coach Anthony Lynn seems to prefer Tyrod Taylor as his starter. But the Chargers have invested heavily in the right side of the offensive line, perhaps with the possibility of a left-handed quarterback looming. If Tagovailoa is there, they may jump at him. If he’s not, expect them to take a left tackle instead.

7. Carolina Panthers — Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn (7)

The Panthers have a ton of holes that need to be filled, but it starts with solidifying the interior of the line on both sides of the ball. Brown helps in that area and is the best player on the board here.

8. Arizona Cardinals — Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama (10)

There is a big debate about which of the elite tackles in the draft is the best. There’s not much argument that the Cardinals need to take one of them. Wills is starting to build momentum as the first to come off the board.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars — Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina (15)

There is certainly a chance they look to trade up to grab a quarterback, or take Tagovailoa if he’s still here. That became even more of a possibility after an oddly timed vote of confidence for Gardner Minshew this week that felt an awful lot like a smoke screen. Wide receiver is also a strong possibility. They would love Brown, but pairing Kinlaw with Josh Allen on the defensive line would solidify at least one unit.

10. Cleveland Browns — Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville (6)

Rumors of a shipping Odell Beckham Jr. to Minnesota appear to be a bit premature. If they trade him, they will be squarely in the mix for a wide receiver. If not, a tackle is an absolute necessity after investing so heavily in skill position players last year. Becton’s massive size and shocking athleticism are tough to ignore.

11. New York Jets — Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama (11)

The Jets absolutely need a tackle and could look in that direction. They also need to find weapons if they want to give young quarterback Sam Darnold any chance to succeed, and they have their pick here. Jeudy, an elite route-runner, gets the nod.

12. Las Vegas Raiders — CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma (12)

Mike Mayock may have raised a few eyebrows when he declined to concede his top three wide receivers on the board were the same as the general consensus of Jeudy, Lamb and Henry Ruggs III. There’s not much doubt about Lamb and Jeudy at the top of the list, though. Lamb has tremendous hands and is dangerous after the catch despite his lack of top-end speed, which could fit well with Derek Carr’s short-passing game.

13. San Francisco 49ers — Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama (13)

Ruggs is on the smaller side but is a burner who could end up being a Tyreek Hill-type weapon. His mediocre production in college signals bust potential, but Kyle Shanahan is a great bet to figure out how to use him effectively. LSU’s Justin Jefferson might actually be the better prospect, but this is a good fit.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa (10)

The Buccaneers brought in Tom Brady. They’re not playing for the future. Tackle is a big area of need, especially with Brady’s lack of mobility. They will do everything they can to keep him upright and healthy, so a tackle makes way too much sense.

15. Denver Broncos — Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (20)

Don’t be surprised if Jefferson works his way into the top three among wideouts. He backed up an incredibly productive season with a surprisingly good combine. The Broncos need weapons for Drew Lock, and Jefferson could be a star, though cornerback C.J. Henderson is a possibility and fills a glaring need.

16. Atlanta Falcons — C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida (16)

Henderson has been creating buzz in recent days and could well be gone by this point. It’s pretty clear the Falcons want him, but they may have to move up to get him. There’s even a chance the Raiders could grab him, especially if the top two receivers are off the board.

17. Dallas Cowboys — K’Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU (17)

The Cowboys need to address the defensive side of the ball. It probably comes down to a tough choice between Chaisson and Xavier McKinney.

18. Miami Dolphins — Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia (14)

There is a strong chance the Dolphins will do some maneuvering with all the draft capital they have, but if they stay here it would be difficult to turn down an opportunity to protect their new quarterback’s blind side.

19. Las Vegas Raiders — Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama (26)

This is not a glaring need, especially after Mike Mayock said this week he expects Damarious Randall to play safety. But he also said his philosophy is to take the best player available, and that’s definitely McKinney if he’s still on the board. The Raiders are collecting young, versatile players in the secondary, and McKinney can do a whole lot of different things.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars — Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU (NR)

The Jaguars have traded away two elite corners in the last two years and have a chance to start to rebuild their secondary after shoring up the defensive line earlier in the first round. There is a good chance they could be movers on draft night, which would probably alter their plans. Five of general manager Dave Caldwell’s seven first-round picks have been from the SEC.

21. Philadelphia Eagles — Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson (21)

Anybody who watched an Eagles game late in the season could easily identify the need for weapons on the outside. There are still plenty of first-round worthy receivers on the board, but Higgins is a proven playmaker on the big stage. More than 80 percent of his catches went for first downs, and he found the end zone on 20 percent of his receptions.

22. Minnesota Vikings — Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State (22)

Another receiver off the board in the first round. The Vikings acquired this pick by trading Stefon Diggs to the Bills and they use it to replace him. Aiyuk is explosive and one of the best big-play threats of the bunch, which he should be able to take full advantage of working opposite Adam Thielen.

23. New England Patriots — Jordan Love, QB, Utah State (23)

The Patriots appear to have settled on turning over the reins to Jarrett Stidham, but Love’s ceiling will offer a temptation if he’s still on the board. While the mistakes he made this season raised a whole lot of red flags, the skill set is obvious.

24. New Orleans Saints — Patrick Queen, LB, LSU (19)

The Saints are in win-now mode as the window closes on their championship window with the end of Drew Brees’ career fast approaching. Queen is the best linebacker in the draft and should be able to slide right into a starting role.

25. Minnesota Vikings — Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU (NR)

This is a huge area of need for the Vikings, and they should have several capable corners to choose from if they stand pat. One of them is probably out of the mix, though. Trevon Diggs is a possibility, but he is the brother of Stefon Diggs, whom the Vikings just traded away.

26. Miami Dolphins — D’Andre Swift, RB, Georgia (NR)

The value of running backs has been greatly depressed in the last several years, but the Dolphins are in a unique position with three first-round picks. Swift is by far the best player on the board at this point and happens to play a position of great need for Miami, which had a miserable running game despite having Arizona’s breakout star Kenyan Drake on the roster for much of last season. This continues a massive overhaul of the offense, joining a quarterback and left tackle selected earlier.

27. Seattle Seahawks — Yetur Gross-Matos, Edge, Penn State (27)

Seattle will be looking for a playmaker along the defensive front after finishing next to last in the league in sacks. Gross-Matos can fill that role while also providing the ability to play on early downs.

28. Baltimore Ravens — Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma (24)

The Ravens are in the market for a young, playmaking linebacker, and Murray fits the bill. He can play inside or outside, though early in his career he will probably function best on the weak side, where he can have freedom to go make plays.

29. Tennessee Titans — Josh Jones, OT, Houston (18)

Jones was a trendy pick to go much earlier until a somewhat disappointing combine. Tennessee is the beneficiary, getting a potential plug-and-play replacement for Jack Conklin.

30. Green Bay Packers — Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State (NR)

He’s rising up draft boards despite concerns about his bulk and strength. Cleveland is agile and sound in his technique. He can also play either side, which is a nice luxury. Green Bay could also use help at wide receiver but should be able to address that later. Regardless, it’s likely they either get Aaron Rodgers someone to throw to or find someone to help protect him.

31. San Francisco 49ers — Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU (25)

Blacklock had the potential to be a top half of the first-round pick before an Achilles injury cost him his sophomore year. He was impactful in his first year back, showing promise he is on his way to a full recovery. He’s a nice fit here to help fill the hole left in the middle of the defensive line when DeForest Buckner was traded.

32. Kansas City Chiefs — Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah (NR)

The cap-strapped Chiefs may trade out of this spot in search of collecting a few players with lower price tags. They do still need to address the cornerback position, though, so Johnson would make sense. He’s a physical corner who should be ready to play man coverage in the NFL from day one. He’ll have to get better at the more intricate schemes, however.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.