Oakland Raiders 7-Round Mock Draft

Round 4 – 130th Overall

This defense is starting to come together with Raekwon McMillan, Sidney Jones and Jaleel Johnson as the first three picks.

A safety still would be great, as would an outside linebacker, offensive tackle, or a skill position if there is an intriguing enough player on the board.

The pick: Corn Elder, CB, Miami

In the fourth round, we double dip on cornerbacks. But the important distinction here is that Corn Elder is a slot cornerback, and arguably one of the two best in this draft class. While Sidney Jones would play on the outside, and the Raiders need help at both.

Elder might only be 5’10” and 183 pounds, but he doesn’t play like it. In fact, he’s one of the best tackling cornerbacks in the draft.

What makes Elder so intriguing is that he’s actually a convert from running back, so he’s still fairly new to the cornerback position. But even so, his film is quite impressive, and he certainly has room to get quite a bit better.

He’s not a big-time athlete, so that’s worth making note of. But as he continues to refine his technique and improve at the nuances of the position, he should develop into a quality slot corner for years to come.

Other players considered: Brian Hill, Taywan Taylor, Chad Wheeler, Vince Biegel, Marquel Lee, Shaquil Griffin, John Johnson.

This was a tough pick to make, as given Elder’s size, he doesn’t fit the mold of cornerbacks McKenzie typically covets. And there were several other talented options to choose from, but of them, I felt Elder is going to be the best pro.

If Sidney Jones does start the season on the PUP list, or if his role in year one is either limited or shut down completely, Elder and T.J. Carrie can carry the load as the third and fourth cornerbacks. Long-term, having Jones and Elder as your outside and slot corners solidifies the secondary.