Las Vegas Raiders: 5 position battles to watch after the 2020 NFL Draft
By Matt Holder
No. 2 Cornerback
Trayvon Mullen put together and an outstanding rookie campaign, where he led the team in passes defended with 10 and surrendered the lowest passer rating when targeted at 79.7. The former second-round pick will enter training camp as the Raiders’ number one corner and arguably, as the best defensive back on the roster.
However, who will be on the other side of last year’s standout is a big question mark.
The favorite heading into the season likely would have been Nevin Lawson, but unfortunately, he’s suspended for the first game of the year for using his helmet as a weapon in Week 17. Lawson’s performance in 2019 also doesn’t exactly guarantee him a starting role heading into 2020 either, as he allowed a completion rate of 53.8 percent and a passer rating of 107.1 when targeted. Experience is the former Lion’s biggest advantage, but the door is certainly open for one of the young bucks.
Given Lawson’s suspension and sub-par performance, Damon Arnette appears to be the leader in the clubhouse for the team’s second cornerback spot. The first-round pick certainly raised some eyebrows on draft day, but that was more because of his 40-yard dash time – which has been called into question recently – than his on-field performance. In college, the former Buckeye never gave up more than one touchdown in a season and had the lowest passer rating allowed in the draft class.
After Arnette, the next man up is likely Isaiah Johnson. As a fourth-round pick, he was widely considered a “project” last season, and unfortunately, an injury in the first preseason game delayed his development. The Houston alum only played 14 defensive snaps a year ago, but given how thin Las Vegas is at cornerback, he’ll have a chance to dramatically increase that number this season.
The NFL is all about making the most of your opportunities as a player, and Johnson’s injury gave Keisean Nixon a chance to prove himself. Nixon made the most of his opportunity as he excelled in the preseason and managed to make the 53-man roster despite being an undrafted free agent.
While the South Carolina product didn’t get much action in the games that count, his performance last August puts him in consideration for a starting spot at the start of this season. Albeit, Nixon probably has the lowest odds out of the players mentioned above.
My Prediction: Damon Arnette
Lawson’s suspension puts him behind the eight ball and there is nothing about his play that indicates he’ll be the slam-dunk starter from Week two and beyond. Johnson and Nixon just don’t have enough film for me to feel comfortable labeling either of them as a Week one starter. Obviously, Arnette hasn’t proven himself in the league either, but he had an outstanding career in college and was a first-round pick for a reason.