As we inch closer and closer to the NFL Draft, there appear to be only three names that make sense at No. 12 for the Raiders. The first two are wide receivers in Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb and Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, who have been connected to Las Vegas throughout the entire draft process.
The other name that is gaining a lot of momentum over the last few weeks is Florida cornerback CJ Henderson and that is who ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocked to the Raiders in his latest draft:
After picking three players in the first round in 2019, the Raiders have two more this year. And just like 2019, they still have needs in the secondary, where they got solid play from second-round pick Trayvon Mullen but don’t have much else at cornerback. Henderson would be an upgrade.
Henderson is widely considered the second-best cornerback in the class, behind only Ohio State’s Jeffrey Okudah. Henderson as elite size, athleticism and quickness, but needs to become a more consistent player overall.
If the Raiders believe they can find a top receiver at pick No. 19, this move would make a lot of sense as Henderson would be the ideal corner to pair with second-year stud Trayvon Mullen. However, there is a chance that Henderson might already be off the board by the time the Raiders are on the clock as both the Cardinals and the Jaguars could be in need of a dynamic corner.
It’s worth noting that the Raiders did not take a receiver at No. 19 in Kiper’s mock. Instead, they selected quarterback Jordan Love from Utah State. If that were the scenario that played out on draft night, it would be fair to wonder what the team’s plan is at receiver moving forward.
[vertical-gallery id=64674]
[lawrence-newsletter]