If the Las Vegas Raiders miss out on the quarterbacks they like as well as Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter, they may find themselves in no-man’s land having seen the prospect talent drop a bit. If that’s the case, then the directions they could go open up dramatically — and one of the positions that are sure to be among the most likely is cornerback.
After the first wave of free agency, the Raiders might not have a single starting-caliber corner on their roster (assuming Nate Hobbs is moved back to slot corner, where he had more success as a rookie). The good news for them is that there are a few corners worth considering with the No. 7 pick if they go in that direction:
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Christian Gonzalez, Oregon
Gonzalez was a transfer from Colorado, and he absolutely balled out in his one year in Eugene. With the size and length that defensive coordinators are looking for, Gonzalez finally notched the production they’d want as well with four interceptions in 2022 to go along with seven pass breakups.
Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
Witherspoon doesn’t have the prototypical size of the other two guys in this group, but what he does have is a level of aggression and physicality that might get a coach to pound the table for him on draft night. He was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and was named first-team AP All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.
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Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Porter is the son of former Steelers great Joey Porter, and he saw his stock rise dramatically this season — moving from a third-team all-conference pick in 2021 to first-team all-conference in 2022. He has great size and length, and might have the highest ceiling of the bunch, but he also seems to be the most raw as well.
[table id=5 /]When you look at the table, you can see why most folks have Gonzalez at the top of their list — he has the size, elite speed and athleticism, as well as the game production. I’m an Oregon alumnus, so I watched Gonzalez more closely than anyone else in this group all season — and I was consistently impressed by his ability to shut down an entire side of the field throughout the year. Corners are a crap shoot sometimes, but Gonzalez feels like the safest bet of the bunch.
As for Witherspoon, injuries have prevented him from completing drills — but the tape tells enough of a story not to have me too worried. The question for the Raiders at No. 7 is going to be how comfortable they are with his size and whether it will impact his ability to be a No. 1 corner down the road.
Lastly, we get to Porter — who is the type of guy I’m drawn to, and I’m not exactly sure why. I know he had just one interception last season, but with his length and speed — plus his coverage ability, which pops on tape, I find myself liking him more and more. He’s the biggest gamble of the three, but he might have the highest ceiling of them all.
VERDICT: PICK Gonzalez, PASS on Witherspoon and Porter Jr.
The only justification for grabbing a corner at No. 7 is if you think the guy is a plug-and-play No. 1 corner, and Gonzalez is the only one I would feel confident about on that front. Honestly, I’d be thrilled if he was the pick.
As for Witherspoon and Porter, if the Raiders were able to move back and stockpile some additional draft capital I’d be thrilled to see either of their names called a bit later on in the draft. Both might be off the board by pick No. 20, but both have the potential to be great pros for very different reasons.
