Arguably the biggest need on the roster for the Raiders heading into the offseason is at wide receiver. They just don’t have anyone on the outside that can stretch the field with speed. Once Henry Ruggs was released, their offense was far less dynamic.
That is why it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the Raiders were searching for speed early in Round 1. And the player with the most top-end speed is Alabama receiver Jameson Williams.
In a recent mock draft by Kevin Hanson of MMQB, he had the Raiders selecting Williams at pick No. 22. Here is what Hanson had to say about the possible pairing:
“Given a depth chart loaded with former five-star recruits, Ohio State may have become college football’s WRU. But their loss (with Williams) became Alabama’s gain as the former Buckeye had a breakout season (78/1,561/15) in Tuscaloosa in 2021.
While his torn ACL suffered against Georgia may push him into the back half of Round 1, Williams will become the fifth first-round wide receiver for Bama in three years. His game-changing speed would complement the Raiders’ receiving corps well with what they had hoped impending free agent DeSean Jackson could provide.”
There is a good chance that Williams won’t be ready for the start of the season as he recovers from his knee injury. But the expectation is that he could be ready early on in the year.
If the Raiders want a vertical element to their passing attack to pair with Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow, Williams is the best player in the class in that regard. Don’t be surprised if the Raiders select him at pick No. 22 to help improve their offense.
