Here is where our latest 7-round mock starts to get interesting, as the Raiders swing a trade with the Baltimore Ravens to move down in the first round. In total, Las Vegas trades pick No. 19 and No. 91 to the Ravens for picks No. 28 and No. 55, as they move into the second round.
Now holding the No. 28 overall pick, the Raiders add a cornerback in A.J. Terrell out of Clemson. Terrell is one of the most overlooked cornerback prospects in this draft, and I actually think he is better than Florida’s CJ Henderson, who is considered the second-best corner behind Jeffrey Okudah in this class.
AJ Terrell had one bad game last year and it was against the best wide receiver in the country. On the other hand, Henderson had plenty of bad games last season, as he was torched by both Florida State and Miami to name a few.
The reason Terrell is a perfect fit for this Raiders defense is because of his man coverage skills. They are right on par with Henderson and Okudah, making his selection at No. 28 quite the value for the Raiders.
He runs extremely well with receivers down field and turns his head to locate the ball. At the NFL level, that is going to be crucial. Kristian Fulton does not do a good job on that and gets called for pass interference downfield often. Terrell’s feet are smooth and he can function as a press man corner in Paul Guenther’s press-heavy defense.
In addition, he also can play off man coverage and has great instincts in zone. He’s a willing and able tackler but one knock on him is he can be more physical to get off blocks. Terrell is a great cornerback prospect and can pair well with Mullen.