It’s pretty clear what the Raiders’ two biggest needs are entering the 2020 offseason. They need to find a No. 1 receiver and a fast, athletic off-the-ball linebacker. However, one position of need that is not being talked about enough is the Raiders’ lack of depth at cornerback.
While Trayvon Mullen had a nice rookie season, it may be too much to ask of him to become the team’s No. 1 cornerback in 2020. And the cupboard behind him is awfully bare as the team has just Nevin Lawson and Isaiah Johnson under contract.
That is why it wouldn’t be all surprising if the team decided to use one of their first-round picks on a cornerback. One player the team could target in the first round is Florida defensive back, C.J. Anderson. He was recently mocked to the Raiders by Pro Football Focus and below is the explanation for the selection:
After Jeffrey Okudah, Henderson has the best man coverage skillset of any corner in this class. He’s not the trash-talker of your normal man corner, but he quietly handles his business at a high level. Henderson has allowed only 28 first-downs on 637 coverage snaps over the past two seasons.
If the Raiders are able to find a starting-caliber receiver or linebacker in free agency, that would open up the possibility of the team selecting someone like Henderson in the first round. The thought of pairing Henderson with Mullen has to be intriguing for Jon Gruden and Paul Guenther.
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