Las Vegas Raiders 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft: Swinging for the fences

When the actual 2020 NFL Draft rolls around, I do not think that Tua Tagovailoa will be available when the Raiders go on the clock. He is simply too talented of a prospect for teams to ignore and somebody is going to take a shot on his upside as a franchise quarterback. That being said, it is not unrealistic to at least consider the possibility of Tua landing on Gruden’s squad.

The injury concerns are well-documented and very real. If Tagovailoa’s hip does not heal well heading into the draft, teams will be worried and it could cause him to slip. Falling all the way to 12 is unlikely, but it is not impossible.

On top of that, the Raiders are a team that could strongly consider a major trade up to the top of the draft in order to bring Tua into the mix. Carr is a solid NFL quarterback, but he has not proven himself to be good enough to lead this team to the promised land. He is extremely unlikely to ever lead this team to the Super Bowl. The Raiders franchise expects Super Bowls and if Tagovailoa can stay healthy, he has the talent to deliver.

On top of that, the Raiders must be looking for a legitimate face of the franchise to lead them into Vegas. Tagovailoa is one of the most popular college football plays of recent memory and he plays the most marketable position in the game. He would be the perfect guy to put on the billboards and sell to the new fan base in Vegas. If Gruden and company are not scared away by the medicals, I could certainly see them putting their chips into the middle and trading up for Tua.

In this mock draft, we are going to live in a world where the Raiders take a big swing and select Tua Tagovailoa to lead them into Vegas.