2023 NFL Draft: Mock draft for first 10 picks of first round
28. . Cornerback. Las Vegas Raiders. Christian Gonzalez. 7. player
The Las Vegas Raiders are going to have some decisions to make over the next few months that could really impact what this team does with the seventh overall pick. The most notable is whether or not they are able to trade Derek Carr, which discussions have reportedly already begun.
One position that probably is going to need to be addressed at some point this offseason is cornerback. Last season, the Raiders were giving up on average 242 passing yards per game and this was due in large part to below-average play from their cornerback duo of Nate Hobbs and Amik Robertson.
That is why a player like Christian Gonzalez would make a lot of sense for the Raiders. He spent last year with Oregon after two seasons at Colorado and this past year really showed the potential of being a lockdown corner. He finished the season with four interceptions and seven passes defended in 12 games compared to no interceptions and 10 passes defended in 18 games at Colorado.
The addition of Gonzalez in this year’s NFL Draft, along with last year’s draft pick Trevon Moehrig would give Las Vegas two good pieces to help strengthen their secondary.