The Oakland Raiders earned a high grade for their work in round one on Thursday night, and their pick to kick off Day 2 was also solid, cornerback Trayvon Mullen.
For the third time in four picks, the Oakland Raiders added a player who played in the national title game in January. In fact, they added the defensive Most Valuable Player of the Game, selecting Clemson cornerback Trayvon Mullen with the No. 40 overall pick on Day 2.
To get to Mullen, the Raiders took the long road, as they made two trades before they finally settled in at pick No. 40. They went into Friday night holding the No. 35 overall selection, but traded that to the Jacksonville Jaguars for No. 38, and then No. 38 to the Buffalo Bills for No. 40.
Let us take a look at what this pick means for the Raiders.
Why the pick makes sense
Mullen proved during the national title game that he is a special player, and he joins a Raiders secondary that is on the rise. Oakland needed to add to other position groups, including the offensive line, and another edge rusher, but Mullen was a solid choice at No. 40.
In Mullen plays to his potential, he could definitely be a force on this defense next season, and this team does have to face Philip Rivers and Patrick Mahomes twice a season. Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden drafted for need in Round 1, and they seemed to continue that trend on Day 2.
How he helps the team
The secondary in Oakland has been an issue for years, and this current regime is doing a nice job bringing in talent back there. Mullen may not have been the popular choice at No. 40, but he is a solid defensive back, and has the talent to be a starter at the NFL level.
Through their first four picks, Oakland has now added two defensive backs, as they selected Johnathan Abram in the first round on Thursday night. The Raiders now have one heck of a talented, young secondary, and the hope is that these young kids can step up in a big way in 2019.
Grade
While the Raiders could have gone a number of different ways with this pick, Mullen is a guy who can help them right away. He joins teammate Clelin Ferrell, who the Raiders took at No. 4 overall, as they continue to add players who appeared in the national title game this past January.