The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for pieces to push them over the top in the AFC, as they are looking to play postseason football next season.
Those pieces may come in the 2024 NFL Draft, which features lots of young talent on both sides of the ball. The Raiders have several good defensive pieces but could opt to add more through the draft.
The Raiders have their core in the defensive backfield but may look at secondary prospects at both cornerback and safety to bolster that unit. There is never such a thing as having too much talent.
That talent could come in the later rounds of the draft, including Utah safety Cole Bishop. With 36 career games under his belt, Bishop is an experienced player who could be available on day three of the draft.
Bishop recently declared for the draft and will take his talents to Mobile, Ala., to play in the Senior Bowl. He concluded his career with the Utes with 197 total tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, seven and a half sacks, 12 passes defended, and three interceptions.
Bishop was named Second-Team All-Pac 12. It is rare for a safety to have a high number of sacks and interceptions, but Bishop is a rare talent.
At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Bishop has a tall and slender build at the safety position. He played all over the field in Defensive Coordinator Morgan Scalley’s unit, which asks a lot of its defensive backs. Bishop offers productivity as a blitzer off the edge and can also play in the nickel and the box.
Bishop is an excellent athlete at the safety position, showing the ability to move downfield quickly and stay in stride with receivers on deep routes. He has the talent to mirror the best receiving talent he faces and can easily flip his hips to reverse direction if he is playing deep safety.
While Bishop is a good athlete, he does not have much muscle, which makes him an inefficient tackler who does not play the run well. He must add to his build if he wants to stay on the field in the NFL.
The Raiders could add Bishop to their defense with Marcus Epps and Tre’von Moehrig in the safety room, playing him as a third safety or backup slot cornerback. Bishop may be enticing if the Raiders are looking for a high-IQ, athletic, versatile talent in their defensive backfield.
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