Oakland Raiders: 7-Round 2019 NFL mock draft after Amari Cooper trade

Round 1, Pick 26 (via Bears): Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia

With their third pick of the first round, the Raiders aren’t going to deviate from the plan that they utilized with their first two selections. This is a team whose defense simply doesn’t belong on an NFL field as a whole and they have to do something about it. And another specific area where they could use an infusion of talent is on the outside at cornerback.

Right now, the corner room in Oakland is filled with Gareon Conley, Rashaan Melvin, Nick Nelson, Leon Hall, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Daryl Worley. Outside of Conley, that’s a low-upside group that, overall, leaves a lot to be desired. What’s worse, there have already been rumbles amidst the fire sale that Gruden could potentially look to deal Conley at some point, so it’s not even certain if his future in Oakland is long-term.

All of this is why the Raiders ultimately take Georgia’s Deandre Baker with the pick that they are owed by the Bears from the Khalil Mack trade. Put simply, Baker isn’t a superb athlete who’s going to light up the Combine. However, what the Bulldogs star can do is be a good enough athlete to not get burned and, with his mental processing and awareness, make plays.

Baker has some of the best ball skills of the defensive backs in the 2019 class and can get physical, even if he’s not a huge frame guy on the outside. He’s a solid piece that should start right away and would most definitely be a valuable addition to a depleted and woeful Oakland secondary.