Oakland Raiders: Grading every 2019 NFL Draft pick

4 of 6

SANTA CLARA, CA – JANUARY 07: Trayvon Mullen #1 of the Clemson Tigers celebrates his teams 44-16 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Levi’s Stadium on January 7, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Round 2, Pick 40: Trayvon Mullen, CB, Clemson

The Colts may have taken the top corner on the Raiders board with the No. 34 picks in Rock Ya-Sin. So the Raiders traded down a couple of spots from No. 36 to No. 40 and drafted Trayvon Mullen out Clemson. Mullen is no consolation prize. He made a name for himself in the biggest game of the 2018-2019 college football season. Mullen’s 2019 National Championship Game performance saw him win defensive MVP.

The Raiders were in dire need of some corner help. Mullen has excellent length at 6-1 and just under 200 pounds. Now they have a guy whose sticky with strong press skills and who can play anywhere. In fact, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller called Mullen one of his favorite prospects.

"Mullen is one of our favorite players in the class thanks to his height, speed and agility in coverage… He has the look of an impactful rookie as a potential second or third cornerback."

The only noteworthy corner the Raiders have is Gareon Conley with guys like Curtis Riley and Nick Nelson fighting for playing time. However, none of those players possess the skillset Mullen has. Barring injury, Mullen has the tools to play press corner right away. He could help shape the secondary with his tenacity and leadership.

Grade: A

Home/Las Vegas Raiders