Raiders 2023 7-round mock draft: Las Vegas needs met in draft haul
Raiders 2023 7-round mock draft: Las Vegas needs met in draft haul
S. Crimson Tide . Jordan Battle. 44. player. 829.
The Raiders have had issues drafting safeties in recent history as they whiffed on the Johnathan Abram and Tyree Gillespie selections with the jury still out on Trevon Moehrig in his second year in the league. They still need to address that position as rolling with Duron Harmon long-term is not an option so in comes Jordan Battle from Alabama.
Battle is a tad undersized at 6-1 but he is well-built at 210lbs and can play both in space and in the box. He has great tackling skills and is fearsome but is still excellent in coverage and is one of the leaders of a tough Alabama defense.
There is little to pick on when it comes to his abilities and talent so most of the concerns are to do with technique which can be coached and can come with time. Battle also brings good ball skills to the table as he has 5 interceptions in his career along with 3 defensive touchdowns.
Some of the weaknesses that scouts have pointed out include going for the big hit rather than wrapping up for tackles and can have a hard time getting off blocks but he can improve there with time and coaching. Most scouts have him projected in the late-first round to early second which is right about where the Raiders are picking at this point.
He would fit in perfectly in this defense as a versatile safety that can play downfield or right up on the line of scrimmage as an extra defender in the box.