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Oakland Raiders: 7-Round 2018 mock draft in mid-March

By Dan Schmelzer

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to avoid a sack by linebacker Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks to avoid a sack by linebacker Roquan Smith #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs in the second half in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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Mike Hughes
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images /

The Raiders’ pass defense was pretty ugly last season. They allowed 241.1 yards per game through the air in 2017, which was the seventh-most in the entire NFL. Led by superstar edge rusher Khalil Mack, I struggle to believe that their pass rush is the major problem here. It is much more believable that the Raiders need significant additions to their secondary.

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Replacing Sean Smith with Rashaan Melvin in free agency is a great start, but the Raiders still have major needs at the cornerback position. In the second round of this mock draft, impact cornerback prospect Mike Hughes falls right into their laps.

At 5-foot-10, 189 pounds, Hughes is a bit on the small side at the cornerback position. However, his impressive overall athleticism and physicality should allow him to compete on the outside at the next level.

Hughes is a tough defender who shines in press coverage on the outside. His quickness is particularly impressive, as he shows the ability to make quick cuts and break on the ball extremely well. Hughes also plays the ball in the air well, consistently timing his jumps well enough to knock the ball away from bigger receivers.

Early in his career, Hughes is probably best suited as a slot cornerback. Playing inside would allow Hughes to consistently showcase his quickness and would make his lack of size less of an issue. That being said, I strongly believe that he can grow into a strong option on the outside as well. As long as he continues to be a tough competitor at the next level, the sky is the limit for this cornerback prospect.

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