NFL Mock Draft: Potential Raiders Draft Steal in the Third Round

The Las Vegas Raiders lack a cornerback they can rely on a play-to-play basis to lock down the opposing team's best wide receiver and deter teams from airing the ball out on their defense. It's something they need as a way to maximize how effective their defense can be.

It's no surprise that a defensive line headlined by Maxx Crosby and Christian Wilkins will result in a ferocious pass rush, but the likelihood of them sacking the quarterback is lessened if they don't have a defensive anchor in the backfield to support them.

The addition of Jeremy Chinn in free agency and keeping Isaiah Pola-Mao is good for securing the middle of the field, but they lack a dominant player on the boundary to keep fade and seam routes in check.

They signed Eric Stokes in free agency as well, and after being a bit of a disappointment with the Green Bay Packers, the Raiders are hoping a change in scenery will result in him playing better. They have Decamerion Richardson on the opposite side, but it's too early in his career to gauge what kind of player he'll be.

Mike Renner is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he recently released a three-round mock draft. For the Raiders, he predicts they won't address their defense until the third round with their selection of Darien Porter from the Iowa State Cyclones.

Porter isn't the first defensive back that's been linked to the Raiders in the third round. They've also been predicted by other mock drafts to target Bilhal Kone and Kevin Winston Jr. It seems like a popular decision among sports writers and analysts to predict the Raiders will address their secondary problems on day two.

Porter has spent five years with the Cyclones, with him not getting any playing time until 2022. In 2024, he had 18 total tackles, three interceptions, and defended against two passes. He tested very well at the NFL Combine, with his best attribute being his speed.