After addressing their offense with multiple picks in the top-100 last year, the 2021 draft and offseason figures to be a defensive one for the Raiders. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team used several picks in a row to address their No. 32 ranked defense.
One spot on their defense the team needs to address either in free agency or the draft is their free safety spot. Jeff Heath is a decent option, but he’s not a long term solution. Erik Harris has proven to be a liability and he isn’t young, either.
In a recent mock draft by Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports, he mocked the Raiders Oregon free safety Jevon Holland in the middle of the first round. Here is what the site had to say about the potential pairing:
“Erik Harris is a free agent, and Johnathan Abram needs a playmaker at free safety behind him. Holland intercepted five passes in that role as a freshman at Oregon in 2018.”
Holland is widely regarded as one of the top safeties in the 2021 class as he might be the most “complete” player in the class. He doesn’t have one dominant skill or trait, but he doesn’t have a major weakness, either. That is just the type of safety the Raiders need as their defense lacks reliable defenders in the secondary.
With Oregon’s season now over, Holland will begin preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft. Keep an eye out on him during the draft cycle as he could be a potential target for the Raiders in the middle of the first round.
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