Las Vegas Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: A QB1 at pick No. 7
Las Vegas Raiders 7-round 2023 NFL Mock Draft: A QB1 at pick No. 7
Ronnie Hickman. 213. player. 812. . S. Buckeyes
It was surprising to us that Ronnie Hickman was still on the board this late in the draft, but we won’t look a gift horse in the mouth, and we grab the talented Ohio State defensive back with the 213th overall pick. Hickman is a great athlete with good size for his position at 6-1 and 207lbs and is not afraid of contact.
He has the speed and athleticism you look for in a coverage safety and is aggressive in the run game when coming downhill. His turnover numbers don’t jump off the page with three interceptions and two forced fumbles in his last two seasons, but he has nearly 160 tackles over that same span.
As we’ve said multiple times, Patrick Graham loves to deploy a multiple safety look and he looks for versatility at that position. Hickman provides just that with his ability as a blitzer while also having the speed and athleticism to cover guys deep down the field.
The only concerns about Hickman are regarding some of the mental aspects of the game but he can make up for that with his speed. Look for him to contribute right away on both defense and special teams and we can see him becoming the full-time starter by the mid-season of his rookie year.