Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock has not been shy about addressing some of the team’s shortcomings this offseason.
The Raiders had some major voids to fill on the defensive side of the ball and were able to do it with a number of notable additions in free agency. Although they had made their signings based on roster needs, it seems they will take a different approach once the 2020 NFL Draft rolls around.
Las Vegas is once again in a position to make a splash at this year’s draft with two picks in the first round. It appears Mayock may be adamant about taking the best player available on the board.
In his pre-draft conference call, Mayock said he understands the team has a weakness at cornerback, but he will try to resist drafting a player based on need:
Well, where we are today is, we feel like we got a bunch of talented young kids that we don’t know enough about yet. Trayvon [Mullen] played really well the second half of the season. We believe that he’s going to be a starter for years to come. Isaiah Johnson was a fourth-round pick, a former wide receiver with all kinds of physical skill set. We love his traits. He got hurt early, we brought him back late. He’s a guy we can’t wait to see play. Keisean Nixon was a free agent out of South Carolina who made the team and played well on special teams. He’s a really competitive young man. And Dylan Mabin is another kid out of Fordham who got hurt and didn’t get a chance to show what he can do.
So, we’ve got four or five young corners who we’re kind of intrigued by. Now, do we think that we need to get better there? Yeah. But you always have to be careful to see how the board will fall. I think the biggest mistakes people make, is trying to reach for need. So, the board will fall whatever way it falls and if we’re fortunate enough to get a corner that’d be great.
Mayock’s comments provide an intriguing perspective on how the Raiders are prioritizing their approach to the draft. It could also be a sign that he is looking to avoid some of the mistakes that the team may have made in recent years.
The Raiders had drafted based off of need last year when they took defensive end Clelin Ferrell with the fourth overall pick in an attempt to revamp their pass rush. Unfortunately, Ferrell struggled to find his footing and largely underwhelmed as a rookie during the 2019 campaign.
Although it is still far too early to label him as a potential bust, there could still be a sense of buyer’s remorse for Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden after taking him so early. The fact that they were able to dig up a steal in defensive end Maxx Crosby in the fourth round helps solidify the notion that they are better off letting the pieces fall where they may.
Mayock has acknowledged that the Raiders are still in the market for an impact player on the outside whether it is a wide receiver or cornerback. There should certainly be no shortage of receiver options for them to choose from since this year’s draft is expected to be one of the deepest wideout classes in recent history.
While they may be targeting another corner to help solidify this talented, young secondary, the insight from Mayock is a sign that they are not going to overvalue a player based on their position needs.
