The Oakland Raiders were clearly intrigued by what they saw in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game between Alabama and Clemson.
On Day 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft, the team used two of its three selections on players from the two schools, nabbing the likes of Clemson pass rusher Clelin Ferrell, Alabama running back Josh Jacobs and Mississippi State safety Johnathan Abram.
With defense being a key focus early on, the Raiders continued that theme on Day 2 by selecting Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen with the 40th overall pick. The former Tiger stood out on college football’s biggest stage, which caught the eye of Oakland’s front office.
Now a member of the Raiders, Mullen is grateful for his opportunity in the Silver and Black and is especially thrilled to be reunited with Clemson teammate, Ferrell, via Kyle Martin of Raiders.com:
“It means a lot being a member of the Oakland Raiders, getting a chance to get with [Head] Coach [Jon] Gruden and them, and [General Manager] Mike [Mayock], the GM,” Mullen told the media via conference call. “Those guys are great guys. They brought me up on the visit. They took the opportunity to draft me. They are going to get a great player especially with me and Clelin and even [Johnathan] Jon Abram, because that’s like my best friend man. Us guys getting together is going to be awesome.”
Mullen and Ferrell were key pieces of Clemson’s elite defensive unit a year ago. Not only will the two help the Raiders from a talent standpoint, but their pairing also bodes well for the team in terms of chemistry on the field.
In three seasons at Clemson, Mullen compiled four interceptions, seven passes defended and 93 total tackles. He most notably picked off Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in the 2019 National Championship Game, earning himself Defensive MVP honors.
