2021 NFL Draft: Las Vegas Raiders could get a starting CB at No. 17

The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and a starting cornerback could land in their laps.

Last year, the Las Vegas Raiders made Damon Arnette a first-round selection, a pick that turned a lot of heads. Arnette was viewed as a Day 2 talent, and while he would have been a nice depth piece to add in the first round, using a first-round pick on him seemed like a stretch at the time.

After seeing Arnette struggle as a rookie, the pick was definitely a stretch, but that is not to say he won’t end up being a solid player down the line. Still, this is a Raiders team that could target the cornerback spot once again in the first round this year, as there are some talented corners in this class that could help them right away.

Of course, as we have discussed, if a player like Micah Parsons is available to the Raiders at pick No. 17, they cannot afford to pass up on him, even though linebacker is not as big a pressing issue as cornerback, safety, and offensive tackle are. Parsons is a talent that could lead this defense for a decade, and the Silver and Black have not had playmakers on that side of the ball since Khalil Mack was traded away.

Raiders need to bolster the secondary

Looking at team needs heading into this year’s draft, the Raiders need to get better in the secondary. Outside of bringing back Karl Joseph, the Silver and Black have done nothing to get better back there, an area that was an issue last season, but also one that new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley should be able to turn around.

At No. 17, there are a lot of options at corner for the Raiders, including guys like Greg Newsome from Northwestern, Jaycee Horn from South Carolina, or either Caleb Farley from Virginia Tech. Farley was considered a top-10 pick before having to undergo surgery on his back, and the Raiders have never shied away from taking a chance on players before.

Overall, if the Raiders decided to go the cornerback route, outside of Patrick Surtain II, I believe they can get a talent that could come in and start right away. Las Vegas did a nice job up front along the defensive line, and they have solid linebackers returning, but the fact that it is April 14 and we have only brought back KuJo to the secondary is concerning.