Oakland Raiders 2016 NFL Draft Wishlist

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Sep 5, 2015; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive back Artie Burns (1) leaps over Bethune Cookman Wildcats defensive back Austin Walker (35) during the first half at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 2, Pick #44: Artie Burns, CB, Miami

The Raiders have struggled in recent years to find consistent starting corners, drafting four of them in the past three drafts only to have to go to the free agency well to find starters. Going into 2016, all four of those drafted corners remain on the roster, but two free agent acquisitions (David Amerson and Sean Smith) project as the starters.

But this past lack of success shouldn’t deter the Raiders from taking another cornerback, this time relatively high, in the second round where the Raiders have had decent success in locating quality players. University of Miami cornerback prospect Artie Burns should be available, and is my wish for the Raiders 2nd pick of the 2016 draft.

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Burns is athletically talented enough to be a much higher draft pick, with prototypical size to be a press corner on the perimeter but the speed and athleticism to be a slot corner as well. Despite being rotated in and out of the defensive lineup frequently during his junior season at Miami, Burns had six picks last season. But he’s a very raw player, and could likely have benefitted from another year at the U, but was essentially forced into the NFL by the death of his mother and the need to financially support his family.

Burns is a bit of a project, needing to learn how to use his athletic ability to cover receivers rather than his hands (he picked up more than his share of holding and PI calls at Miami). But at the top of his game, he could be every bit as good as David Amerson, who projects as one of the Raiders starting corners this season, and could develop over the course of Sean Smith’s contract as a nickel or dime corner, and eventually become a starting boundary corner.

Next: Raiders Draft Wishlist: Round 3

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