How Do the Raiders Fill the Second Cornerback Spot?

It's no surprise that the Raiders’ second cornerback spot is bullied by all of the Raiders' opponents.

Two years ago, Chris Johnson was thrown into the line-up and was able to play very well as a counterpart to the league's best cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Unfortunately, Johnson's game broke down last season and he was constantly picked on by opposing quarterbacks.

Looking at the rest of our cornerbacks, none of them really show the Raider Nation that they can play up to par. There's Stanford Routt, who has been terrible in pass coverage. Consistently, he allows his receiver to get past him for the catch. He has everything needed to be a great player, but so far, those skills have been wasted.

Do the Raiders look for someone that's a free agent? There was Dunta Robinson at the beginning of the free agency period, but Al Davis decided that he would pass up on Robinson, who eventually signed with Atlanta.

There's also Fabian Washington, a former first round pick for the Raiders. However, the speed demon was traded when he failed to meet expectations. The chances of Al Davis bringing him back are probably pretty slim.

They could look to draft a player to fill the need, though they have many other holes that are needed to be filled.

One player the Raiders should keep in mind come draft time is Joe Haden from Florida. Haden covers very well and has good speed, though he recorded slow times during the Combine. With or without the slow 40-times, he is still the best cornerback in the draft. The chances of Haden going to the Raiders is quite high, as six of the seven picks ahead of Oakland do not necessarily need a cornerback.

Another option is Eric Berry, arguably one of the top prospects of the league. There have been some rumors that both the Seahawks and Chiefs will pass on Eric Berry, which is very possible. Both teams need offensive linemen who can protect the quarterback. That leaves the Cleveland Browns, but they are considering three different players for the seventh overall pick; Derrick Morgan, Joe Haden, and Eric Berry.

Eric Berry is a safety. Do the Raiders need another safety? No, they don't. Tyvon Branch is a great tackler, while Mike Mitchell provides the vintage Oakland Raiders’ style of play. Michael Huff and Hiram Eugene both show flashes of greatness in pass coverage. However, if the Raiders take Eric Berry, don't be surprised if you see him converted to cornerback.

Think back a few years and you might remember the Raiders drafting a certain safety, only to convert him to cornerback. I think his name is Nnamdi Asomugha. Don't quote me on this, but I hear that guy is pretty good.

The last possible solution is to fill a need in the first round and draft a cornerback in the later rounds. There are a few gems in the draft that are being overlooked, but have a very high level of potential in them.

I'm predicting that by the time the Raiders decide to draft, Okung, Williams, and Bulaga will all be taken. Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy are most likely going to be taken as well. I believe the Browns will end up taking Derrick Morgan. That leaves the Raiders with options as Eric Berry, Dan Williams, Rolando McClain, Bruce Campbell, and Joe Haden.

Of those listed, Dan Williams would be one of the better selections. He's a dominant defensive tackle that the Raiders need to relieve the pressure off of Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour, and Matt Shaughnessy.

The Raiders can face their cornerback issues in the later rounds by drafting one of the overlooked players such as Alterraun Verner of UCLA, Nolan Carroll of Maryland, Donovan Warren of Michigan, and Myron Lewis of Vanderbilt.