In the latest mock draft from The Draft Network, they have a few trades brewing in the top 10. One of those trades has the Las Vegas Raiders landing Penn State corner [autotag]Joey Porter Jr[/autotag].
The full trade sends Porter Jr. to the Raiders with the 13th overall pick, trading up with the New York Jets. This trade also sends Derek Carr and a 2023 second-round pick to the Jets.
Let’s break this down for the Raiders.
The last time the Raiders took a corner in the first round was in the 2020 draft with the 19th overall pick, who is no longer on the team.
The Raiders also don’t have a secondary that is that impressive. They cut Jonathan Abram during the season. They have Sam Webb until 2025, when he becomes a restricted free agent. But Rock Ya-Sin is also up for a new contract after this season.
The Raiders don’t really have a true number one corner right now. That is where Porter Jr. comes in.
This team needs a lot, especially on their defense. If you really think about it, the Raider could go plenty of different places with their first-round pick. With Carr likely on his way out of Las Vegas, the Raiders could look to trade up for their next quarterback of their future.
With this mock draft having the Raiders trading away Carr for a non-quarterback, that must mean two things: They are taking one with their next pick or their next quarterback is currently in the NFL.
Porter Jr. is everything you want in an NFL corner and more. He has plenty of upside and if the Raiders select him, he walks into a starting job.
As mentioned, the Raiders defense needs a ton of improvement, and if they do choose to go the secondary route with their first-round pick, Porter Jr. would make a ton of sense for them.
Plus, you also have to think about their division. They will need to stop guys like Travis Kelce, Mike Williams, Keenan Allen and Courtland Sutton — all twice a season.
The Raiders are coming off a disappointing season, and they will likely hold a pick in the top half of the draft this spring.
Drafting Porter Jr. would help give them an identity on their defense. You could certainly make an argument saying the Raiders are in trouble. The Broncos still have the pieces, as do the Chargers. The Chiefs, well, the Chiefs are the Chiefs. The Raiders have a lot of work to do, and improving their secondary is one of them.
We could definitely see multiple corners taken in the top 15, and Porter Jr. could likely be one of those guys. The Raiders make a ton of sense for them.
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