One of the early trends in mock drafts in January is for the Raiders to ignore their need at quarterback and go back to defense in Round 1. In most mocks, they have the Raiders selecting a cornerback at pick No. 13.
In the most recent mock draft by Jordan Reid of ESPN, he had the Raiders selecting Alabama CB Kool-Aid McKinsty in Round 1. Here is a snippet of why Reid believes McKinstry would be a great fit in Las Vegas:
McKinstry is a technician on the outside, allowing a 32.1% completion rate on throws into his area (tied for 14th best in the FBS). He has the physicality and ball skills to be a starter right away.
The Raiders were thrilled with the production of Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs down the stretch, but they could still use another outside cornerback. Amik Robertson is set to become a free agent and Jakorian Bennett struggled mightily in Year 1.
Adding someone like McKinstry would allow Hobbs to play primarily in the slot, which is his natural position. It’s also possible that the Raiders could attack the cornerback spot in free agency, but the draft seems most likely considering how talented this class appears to be.
