3-round Raiders NFL Mock Draft: Trading back on Day 1 works out perfectly

After locking in at the offensive side of the ball early in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Raiders use their added Round 2 draft capital on the defense. Looking at the Raiders defense, the defensive line should be special this season, especially with the arrival of Christian Wilkins, but reinforcements are needed in the secondary.

At safety, the starting combination of Marcus Epps and Trevon Moehrig will be back in 2024, and that duo proved to be one of the best in the game last year. However, cornerback is a serious position of need this draft cycle, even if the Raiders decide to add Xavien Howard or Stephon Gilmore in free agency before the draft kicks off.

One cornerback prospect to keep an eye on is TJ Tampa, who could come in and be a nice complement to Jack Jones in the starting lineup. Tampa has good tackling ability, is long in coverage, and after running an elite 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, he should see his draft stock rise.

For the Raiders, this seems like a perfect fit.