After having two first-round draft picks, the Las Vegas Raiders came into day two of the draft with three third-round picks. At No. 80 they took Lynn Bowden Jr., No. 81 Bryan Edwards, and the Raiders traded the No.91 pick to the New England Patriots and got No.100 for the third round. Las Vegas took Tanner Muse out of Clemson.
Lynn Bowden Jr. WR/RB Kentucky
At Kentucky, Bowden was a full-time receiver before moving to quaterback last season. Bowden has excellent ball tracking skills and can run after the catch. He can line up anywhere on the field and make plays. He probably mostly line up in the slot. Bowden is good with running the ball in his hands; he racked up 1,468 rushing yards last season. Another thing Bowden brings is the ability to stretch the field with his speed.
Bowden is raw as a route runner, so he will need some work there. Coach Gruden will use Bowden as a gadget guy. I can see Bowden getting a lot of jet sweeps and maybe some wildcat quarterback. Bowden will be moved all over the field to make plays for the Raiders.
Bryan Edwards WR South Carolina
Bryan Edwards is a physical receiver at 6-3 215 pounds. Edwards has excellent ball skills but is not that fast. But with his long arms and strong hands, he makes a lot of contested catches against small corners., which is needed in the NFL.
With the ball in his hands, Edwards is a tough runner who will fight for extra yards. Edwards does struggle against the bigger corners getting off the jam and making contested catches. But Edwards's size and athleticism is intriguing and could develop into an excellent receiver. He is coming in off a broken foot.
Tanner Muse LB/S Clemson
Tanner Muse lined up in a lot of positions last year for Clemson. Muse is a physical player that flys to the football and tackles violently. He is a very aggressive player who loves to come up and make tackles. Can play linebacker and safety, will be used in various roles for the Raiders defense. Muse is a bit stiff in coverage, but he plays hard and will hit you. His versatility will be huge for the Raiders.
The Raiders added two more receivers in day two of the draft. It will be some serious competition at the position. The good thing is, the Raiders added more speed in Bowden, the Raiders lacked speed last year. Bowden will allow the offense to be more creative, and Edwards will push Tyrell Williams if he can develop quickly. Muse will bring versatility to the defense and will also help the special teams right away.
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