Raiders Take CB, Cowboys Replace Dalton Schultz in Todd McShay's 2023 NFL Mock Draft

While quarterbacks such as Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young will generate the most headlines leading up to the 2023 NFL draft, there is no shortage of impact players who could step in and provide important contributions for their teams as rookies.

The Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys landed two of them in the latest mock draft from ESPN's Todd McShay, which was released Tuesday.

McShay projected the Raiders to draft Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with the No. 7 pick and the Cowboys to take Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer with the No. 26 pick. The Mayer pick is all the more notable because Dallas lost Dalton Schultz to the Houston Texans in free agency this offseason.

While the tight end position can sometimes be overlooked, Schultz was a key piece in the Dallas offense of late.

He was second on the team with 577 receiving yards just last year and provided quarterback Dak Prescott with a security blanket when opposing defenses were focused on wide receiver CeeDee Lamb or running backs Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott.

Mayer can fill all of those roles.

He is the "most complete tight end in this draft class and could be a plug-and-play starter as Dak Prescott's new security blanket," McShay wrote. "At 6-foot-5 and 249 pounds, Mayer is a legit blocker who would provide Tony Pollard with more running lanes. And while he's not much of a vertical threat, his excellent ball skills would open up the offense at the intermediate level."

As for Las Vegas, pass defense is a glaring need heading into the 2023 campaign.

The Raiders finished an ugly 29th in the league in passing yards per game last season, which is one reason they disappointed on the way to a 6-11 record. Addressing the secondary is all the more important in the AFC West, where they face the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Russell Wilson a combined six times per year.

Enter Witherspoon, who could match up with wide receivers like Keenan Allen, Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy.

He could bring a high ceiling to a unit and address an important area of need all in one move.