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While the Las Vegas Raiders‘ biggest need this offseason is quarterback, the team can’t afford to overlook the defense. The team could use upgrades at all three levels, especially in the secondary. Cornerback will be one of the Raiders’ highest priorities this offseason.
Rock Ya-Sin was the team’s best cornerback in 2023 but he’ll be a free agent. Las Vegas could bring him back but he’s better suited to be a No. 2 cornerback. With the No. 7 pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Raiders are in a prime position to add a difference-maker to the secondary if they don’t use the pick on a quarterback. There are some very good cornerbacks in this year’s draft and Las Vegas could fall in love with one who has ties to a former All-Pro. Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report listed the Raiders as the best fit to draft Penn State cornerback Joey Porter Jr., who is the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro and Super Bowl champion linebacker Joey Porter:
The cornerback’s physical and aggressive style isn’t for everybody. He’s best suited going to a team that will let him play a lot of press coverage. He could have a bit of a learning curve as he moves away from relying so much on his hands, which could cause him to get called for a lot of penalties early on.
The Raiders would make sense as a destination for Porter. They played the ninth-highest rate of man coverage despite dealing with injuries at cornerback all season.
Porter Projected to Be 1st Round Pick
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham likes to play man coverage, even at the end of games. The problem was that the team lacked physical cornerbacks. Porter would solve that issue. The 6-foot-2 cornerback is as physical as any cornerback in the draft. As Ballentine noted, that might not be a fit with every defense but it would be a fit with the Raiders.
However, the No. 7 pick might be too high to draft him. CBS Sports‘ recent mock draft has him falling to No. 22 in the first round. Todd McShay of ESPN projected him to get selected at No. 14 and NFL.com has him going at No. 21. If the Raiders love Porter, they should consider trading back a few picks to get him. That might be a good move regardless considering the team has a lot of holes to fill this offseason.
Will Raiders Go Offense or Defense in the 1st Round?
Many mock drafts project the Raiders to either select a quarterback or an offensive lineman in the first round. While those are both needs, the team could solve those in free agency. The team has massive needs on defense and shouldn’t use its first-round pick on an offensive player unless it’s a quarterback.
There should be plenty of good defensive players available to the Raiders at No. 7. Clemson defensive tackle Bryan Bresee would help fill the need for an interior defender. He’s not an elite pass rushing prospect but should be elite against the run. Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzales could be another player to take a look at. The Raiders can find offensive linemen later in the draft. They need to invest heavily in fixing the defense this offseason or 2023 will look a lot like 2022.
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