Another giant NFL draft faces Jon Gruden, Mike Mayock and the Raiders in April.
After hitting a home run in their first draft together, the Silver and Black must layer another solid class on top of last year's to set them up for what Josh Jacobs and Co. believe can be a dynastic run.
There will be a number of elite NFL prospects on the field Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when the No. 1-ranked LSU Tigers face the No. 3-seeded Clemson Tigers in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
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The Raiders have needs at wide receiver, cornerback, safety, running back and linebacker, many of which could be filled by players vying for the title in New Orleans.
Here are seven prospects for the Raiders to watch Monday night, ranked from best fit on down. (LSU quarterback Joe Burrow and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons are not listed, despite their obvious fit, because they are not expected to be available when the Raiders pick.)
7. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
Much like Etienne, Edwards-Helaire fits the modern-day running back mold perfectly. He's great at catching the ball out of the backfield with a stellar combination of good route-running and solid hands.
The LSU back has great power and agility making him difficult to bring down. He's another later round guy for the Silver and Black to look at to compliment Jacobs.
6. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Running back? But the Raiders just took Jacobs, the likely Offensive Rookie of the Year. Yes, and when Jacobs got hurt and they had to turn to DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard, the run game fell off.
The Raiders would be smart to look at guy like Etienne, who likely will go in the third or fourth round. He's a powerful runner who is a weapon in the passing game with his game-breaking speed.
Having a Jacobs-Etienne backfield would be the stuff of nightmares for teams to defend.
His ability to go from zero to 60 his unreal.
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5. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Fulton is this low, not because he lacks talent, but because he might not even make it to the Raiders at No. 12. He certainly won't make it to No. 19 overall.
He's a smart corner with good coverage skills. His ability to close on routes and read coverage trees to create leverage positions. He must get better tackling and timing jump balls to be more of a factor in 50/50 balls.
He, like Terrell, would be great on the other side of Mullen.
4. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
The Raiders need more than one receiver to revamp their offense.
Higgins would be a nice start, but being able to snag a guy like Jefferson would be a big win.
The LSU star has great body control and is a polished route-runner who has the ability to adjust his route on the fly to beat man coverage. Jefferson, 6-foot-3, 192 pounds, is great at making contested catches. He has exploded onto the scene as LSU's revamped passing attack has allowed his talent to shine through. He has the ability to play outside and in the slot. His versatility would be something Gruden would love to scheme ways to take advantage of.
Jefferson is shooting up draft boards, so the Raiders might have to find a way to jump into the second round to snag him, but he would be well worth it.
3. K'Lavon Chaisson, Edge, LSU
Yes, the Raiders still need help getting after the quarterback. Maxx Crosby was a nice surprise and Clelin Ferrell is set up for an improved sophomore season.
But the Raiders need to add more pass-rushing juice. Chaisson is the perfect prospect for defensive coordinator Paul Guenther's defense.
He has an elite blend of athletic traits that make him the type of edge prospect scouts dream about. He has broad shoulders and oily hips. He's explosive in transition and uses his athleticism to make up for what he lacks in length. LSU has moved him all over their defensive sets and his versatility is something Guenther would love to play with.
2. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Raiders grabbed a shutdown corner in the second round last year in Trayvon Mullen. His defensive backfield-mate at Clemson would be a nice fit on the other side of the field.
No, corner isn't the Raiders' most pressing need, but Terrell and Mullen combined to form one of the best cornerback duos in recent college football history last season, Just ask Tua Tagovailoa how hard it is to move the ball against a secondary anchored by Mullen and Terrell.
Terrell is long and rangy at 6-foot-1. He has elite coverage skills, fits great in both press and man schemes and thrives at disrupting the ball at the point of attack. He has great instincts but does need to work on his ability to read the quarterback's eyes and not have his aggressiveness used against him.
He has yet to allow more than 60 yards against him this season.
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1. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
After Antonio Brown turned in his NFL card to be an aspiring rapper, the Raiders' offense struggled to make big plays in the passing game.
Rookie Hunter Renfrow and tight end Darren Waller were dynamite, but the Silver and Black need a big body to be a threat on the outside, no matter who the quarterback is.
Higgins, 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, is adept at using his size to his advantage. He has great ball-tracking skills on nine routes and is able to use his range to snag off-target throws and win 50/50 balls. Higgins averaged 20.8 yards per catch and was Pro Football Focus' highest-graded Power 5 receiver.
Gruden should be salivating over the thought of Higgins in Silver and Black.
Higgins might be putting on a Raider hat when they go on the clock at No. 12 overall.
