In order for the Raiders to take the next step as a defense, they have to improve in coverage. Unfortunately, Cory Littleton disappointed in that area last season despite the team handing him a massive contract in free agency. Their inability to cover running backs and tight ends continues to be a massive problem.
Luckily for the Raiders, the 2021 draft is loaded with coverage linebackers. A popular one being mocked to Las Vegas in Round 1 is Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and that makes sense given his speed. However, LSU’s Jabril Cox might be the better value a round later.
In a recent piece by Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus, Cox was named one of the best linebacker prospects in this year’s draft. Here is what the site had to say about the LSU star and his elite coverage ability:
“As far as pure coverage skill goes, Cox is the best in the draft class. Others are more athletic or explosive, but Cox is so assignment-sound and smooth that he consistently gets the job done.
Cox just continually made plays throughout his college career. In his last three seasons — two at North Dakota State before transferring to LSU this past season — Cox earned coverage grades of 87.4 (2018), 85.2 (2019) and 83.5 (2020) while collecting eight picks and 11 pass breakups over that span. Maybe he won’t produce super high-end splash plays, but Cox gets the job done.”
Cox projects as a weakside linebacker in the NFL that can help right away on nickel situations. While he might not be a Day 1 starter for the Raiders, he could find a role as a rookie and eventually replace Littleton if the team needs the cap space.
Given how special he is in coverage, don’t be surprised if Cox winds up being a Pro Bowl-caliber player sooner rather than later. And if the Raiders can select him and use the No. 17 pick elsewhere on their defense, that would be a major win for Mike Mayock and company.
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