Oakland Raiders: First round options after signing Donald Penn
By Austin Gayle
Vernon Hargreaves
On top of investing in the trenches this offseason, Oakland did bring in former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith on a four-year, $38 million deal to start opposite of David Amerson in 2016, but the Raiders should continue to upgrade the position if former Florida cornerback Vernon Hargreaves falls into their laps at No. 14.
While there still are concerns revolving around his lack of size (5‘10”, 208 pounds), Hargreaves is an athletic, explosive cornerback that can be a ball hawk in the secondary. He is highly regarded for his quick feet and above-average closing speed, but it is Hargreaves’ competitive nature that truly sets him apart from the other corners in this class.
“While scouts have voiced some concerns about Hargreaves’ size and recovery speed, you won’t find anyone who doesn’t admire his competitiveness and consistency of production,” via Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. “Hargreaves has a level of suddenness and explosiveness in his moments that should always have him near the ball. With top-notch ball skills and exceptional instincts that drew praise from Alabama’s Nick Saban, Hargreaves possesses the football makeup to become a Pro Bowl cornerback.”
Similarly to Elliot, Hargreaves would have an opportunity to play behind guys like Smith and Amerson before he is thrown into a starting role. With that being said, Hargreaves would have an opportunity to gain confidence against No. 2 and No. 3 wide receivers as he gets his feet wet in the league, and in turn, he can more effectively develop into a top corner in the NFL.
Though it still seems unlikely that Hargreaves does slip down in the draft, it’s an opportunity Oakland won’t be able to pass up if things do fall into place.