Heading into the 2020 offseason, the list of needs the Raiders have are pretty defined. The team needs to find a No. 1 receiver and a stable off-the-ball linebacker. But arguably the biggest need on the entire roster is at cornerback.
Rookie Trayvon Mullen has shown flashes of brilliance, but Daryl Worley is scheduled to hit free agency and the team doesn’t have many other viable options. That is why it wouldn’t be a shock to see the team use one of their two first-round picks on another talented cornerback.
In Todd McShay’s first mock draft on ESPN.com, he gave the Raiders cornerback Paulson Adebo from Stanford at pick No. 11. Take a look at McShay’s reasoning behind the selection:
With the Raiders’ first of two Day 1 picks in their first year in Vegas, a playmaking ball hawk in the secondary could do wonders. The Raiders are tied for the ninth-fewest interceptions in the NFL (nine), and no Oakland corner has multiple picks. Meanwhile, 2017 first-rounder Gareon Conley was dealt to Houston at midseason. Adebo has eight interceptions over the past two seasons at Stanford.
Adebo is one of the best playmaking cornerbacks in the draft, racking up 27 pass deflections over the last two seasons. Given his size and ability to make plays on the ball, he would be a perfect complement to Mullen. Look for Adebo to be one of the few names the Raiders consider in the first round.