Raiders take 2 receivers, safety on Day 2 of NFL draft

Lynn Bowden, wide receiver

■ College: Kentucky

■ Height: 5-11; Weight: 204

■ Drafted: Round 3, pick No. 16 (80th overall)

■ Worth noting: Bowden is a versatile athlete who was Kentucky’s starting quarterback in the second half of 2019. He won the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to college football’s most versatile player.

■ Fit on Raiders: The Raiders took three wide receivers with their first four picks, so Bowden probably will find his immediate niche as a return man and on jet sweeps or screens — any way he can use his open-field ability.

“Nobody else in the draft has that (versatility),” Bowden told Bleacher Report after switching to quarterback. “The stats don’t lie. You’re just going to have to turn back on the film to see what kind of ballplayer I am. That’s really the only hope.”

Bowden racked up 4,660 career all-purpose yards, and he showed his unselfishness after suggesting to coaches he move to quarterback after injuries to the Wildcats’ top two QBs. He led Kentucky to a 6-2 record in eight starts.

Bowden was compared to New Orleans Saints quarterback and offensive weapon Taysom Hill during the draft process.

“He’s kind of today’s NFL guy,” ESPN analyst Todd McShay said.

Bryan Edwards, wide receiver

■ College: South Carolina

■ Height: 6-3; Weight: 212

■ Drafted: Round 3, pick No. 17 (81st overall)

■ Worth noting: Edwards is the most productive receiver in South Carolina history, as his 234 catches for 3,405 yards are school records. He caught at least one pass in all 48 games he played in college, and his 22 touchdowns are third in school history.

■ Fit on Raiders: Edwards doesn’t have the speed of first-round pick Henry Ruggs or the versatility of Bowden. But he has more size than both and has shown an ability to catch jump balls and get open against zone defenses.

“You won’t regret it,” Edwards told Raiders coach Jon Gruden on a video posted to South Carolina’s Twitter account.

Edwards missed the end of his senior season with a broken foot that also took him out of the NFL scouting combine. But he is expected to be healthy for his rookie season.

Tanner Muse, safety/LB

■ College: Clemson

■ Height: 6-2; Weight: 227

■ Drafted: Round 3, pick No. 36 (100th overall)

■ Worth noting: Muse played in 59 games, making 39 starts, and helped Clemson win two national championships. He’s the fourth player from Clemson drafted by Raiders general manager Mike Mayock in his two seasons.

■ Fit on Raiders: The Raiders have clearly placed a premium on aggressiveness and versatility in this draft, and Muse fits that mold.

He has the size to play outside linebacker and the speed — he ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine — to play safety and made 234 tackles in his college career. He also showed he could find the ball, with 14 passes broken up and seven interceptions.

“He already has linebacker size, and his frame should be able to handle additional weight if needed,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlan said. “… Muse’s ability to cover tight ends and handle four-phase special teams duties improve his chances of making the back end of a roster.”

The Raiders added linebackers Cory Littleton and Nick Kwiatkowski and safeties Damarious Randall and Jeff Heath in free agency, so Muse will have his work cut out for him to play outside of special teams.

Jason Orts Las Vegas Review-Journal