REPORT: The Raiders Think Outside the Box on Draft Night
The Las Vegas Raiders had three solid cornerbacks this season in Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones and Jakorian Bennett. However, Hobbs is set to enter free agency this offseason and may not return.
Jones has had his ups and downs but will be a free agent next offseason. While Bennett still has multiple years remaining on his rookie contract and played well this season, he has missed multiple games with injuries in less than two full seasons in the league.
Entering last offseason, cornerback was a position of need for the Raiders. So much so that many mock drafts projected them to select a cornerback in the first round.
The Raiders drafted the best player available instead of their most significant need. It worked last offseason, but there is no guarantee they will take the same approach in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Although the Raiders have frequently been rumored to be interested in Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team analyzed which teams would and would not be a good fit for Hunter.
He believes the Raiders would be a good fit, even though few have projected the Raiders to consider drafting the Heisman Trophy winner.
"This team finished 29th in scoring offense and 25th in scoring defense," Crabbs said. "The Las Vegas Raiders were 29th in offensive and defensive takeaways, respectively, this season.
"Their net yards per attempt on offense this season was 27th (5.5 NY/A) despite rookie phenom Brock Bowers’ transformative performance. Cornerback Jack Jones posted three interceptions, and the team got just one more from the rest of the cornerbacks on the roster (Nate Hobbs)."
Crabbs notes that the Raiders will soon be thin at the cornerback position, with two starting cornerbacks set to hit free agency this summer and next summer. This could leave the Raiders needing to fill multiple voids in their cornerback room, making Hunter a legitimate option on draft night.
"Las Vegas, simply put, needs talent," Crabbs said. "Jakobi Meyers, who did surpass 1,000 yards in 2024, is on an expiring contract after the 2025 season. So, too, is Jones. Nate Hobbs is scheduled for free agency this spring. Hunter can be turned loose here more than any of the teams in the top five and be ripe for big-time opportunities. The bad news is, of course, how unlikely it will be to see Hunter slide all the way to No. 6 in the draft order when things are all said and done.
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