Getty Oakland Raiders rookie cornerback Trayvon Mullen
Just a couple hours after the Raiders signed first-round pick Clelin Ferrell, the team announced that they’ve inked in second-round pick Trayvon Mullen. The cornerback out of Clemson is one of three players the Raiders drafted from the college football National Champions. The aforementioned Ferrell and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow are the other two. The deal he has signed is for four years, but there’s no word yet on the specific terms.
Another one. 🔏
We have signed second-round pick CB @MullenIsland1: t.co/k1FyLIV6eu
This signing just leaves first-round picks Josh Jacobs and Johnathan Abram as the only two players that remain unsigned out of the Raiders’ first four picks. Mullen hopes to help fix a Raiders pass defense that has been eaten alive by opposing quarterbacks over the past few years. The Raiders were lit up by the likes of San Fransico 49ers backup quarterback Nick Mullens last season. Returning cornerback Gareon Conley has proven to be a solid player when healthy, so if Mullen can help solidify the other side of the field, don’t expect backup quarterbacks to be putting up careers numbers on the Raiders anytime soon.
Mullen is a tall and long defensive back. Here’s what NFL.com had to say about him before the draft:
Long press-corner who can clog up the release but is more reactive than instinctive in coverage. Mullen can be a little inconsistent in anticipating route breaks, which can open small throwing windows, but his loose hips and response burst helps him latch back onto tight coverage. If Mullen can improve pattern recognition and reading the quarterback, the ball production should follow. He has Day 2 draft talent as an outside corner and could compete for a CB2 spot within a couple of years.
Mullen is the cousin of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and was the defensive MVP for the Clemson Tigers’ most recent championship win against Alabama in 2018. That defense was loaded with talent everywhere, so him winning MVP was an impressive feat. The Raiders have a new look defense and should improve greatly in 2019. The defensive backfield is young and should continue to get better as time goes on. Mullen may not start opposite Conley to begin the 2019 season. That will likely be cornerback Daryl Worley, who is another young guy at 24 years old. However, Mullen will get his chances to play. A big corner like him may finally be able to solve the Raiders’ problem of covering opposing tight ends.
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