Although it was a disappointing 2019 NFL season for the Oakland Raiders, there were a few bright spots for head coach Jon Gruden to hang his hat on.
Among them was the emergence of cornerback Trayvon Mullen after being taken in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. His quick development made him an immediate contributor on defense and even allowed the Raiders to feel confident enough to trade away former first-rounder Gareon Conley to make him the starter the rest of the year.
Gruden was never shy about offering up heavy praise for the young players that etched out key roles for themselves this season. It seems he has not let up on his compliments of the rookie.
According to Scott Bair of NBC Sports, Gruden says Mullen development was the most enjoyable aspect of the year:
Gruden called Trayvon Mullen's progress: "He was the brightest light of the whole thing for me. …He's a tough guy. He's improved his level of play and overall consistency. He has a huge upside."
— Scott Bair (@BairNBCS) December 30, 2019
It is safe to say that Mullen has made quite the impression on Gruden in just his first season with the team. As a result, there will be much bigger expectations for him moving forward now that he is held in such high regard.
Of course, Gruden’s praise is certainly understandable considering how well Mullen played as a rookie after finishing the 2019 campaign with 50 tackles, 10 pass deflections, and an interception. His progression undoubtedly helps to fill a major void in the secondary for the Raiders as they get set for their relocation to Las Vegas.
Gruden has ushered in a bit of a youth movement since his arrival and this approach has netted them some serious playmakers on both sides of the ball. Although most of the attention was on their trio of first-round picks, it was the later picks like Mullen and defensive end Maxx Crosby that proved to be the most pleasant surprises this season.
The Raiders now have a solid foundation of talent to help spark a potential resurgence in Las Vegas in the 2020 NFL season. It will be interesting to see if Mullen can continue to build on his promising rookie year under Gruden’s tutelage.
