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3 Players the Raiders Should Target to Rebuild Their Pass Defense

By Max Staley

Jon Gruden's Raiders were ranked as the NFL's third-worst pass defense in 2019.
Jon Gruden's Raiders were ranked as the NFL's third-worst pass defense in 2019. / Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
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The Raiders will start their tenure in Las Vegas with holes all over the roster. Derek Carr's mediocre performance has been the focus of most Raiders-centric offseason coverage. But it's Vegas' pass defense, not offense, that is likely the team's biggest issue.

The Raiders' pass defense finished the regular season as the NFL's third-worst pass defense by Football Outsiders' DVOA metrics. They finished tied with the Cincinnati Bengals for a league-worst 8.3 yards per attempt, and even finished (tied with the Miami Dolphins) for the league's fewest QB hits (64).

Armed with two first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft, here are three players the team should target to rebuild its pass defense.

1. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina

Javon Kinlaw looks like one of the top interior lineman in the 2020 class.
Javon Kinlaw looks like one of the top interior lineman in the 2020 class. / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Javon Kinlaw only needed a few days at the 2020 Senior Bowl to prove his worth. While he didn't play in the game, he reportedly tore up the event, solidifying his status as one of the best interior pass-rushers in this class. With Maxx Crosby (10.0 sacks in 2019) and Clelin Ferrell (4.5) looking like solid pass-rushing prospects on the edge, adding Kinlaw to shore up the middle of this defense could really pay dividends in 2020.

2. Grant Delpit, Safety, LSU

Grant Delpit is considered one of the best safeties in the class.
Grant Delpit is considered one of the best safeties in the class. / Michael Hickey/Getty Images

As mentioned above, the Raiders struggled to defend the big play, surrendering 8.3 yards per attempt. The more-advanced metrics were even less kind, however, they also surrendered 8.8 adjusted yards per attempt (AY/A), which was a league high. Grant Delpit is an extremely athletic playmaker who could come in and make an impact on the backend from day one. He'd be a great target at either first-round pick (No. 12, No. 19).

3. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida

C.J. Henderson is starting to draw some buzz as the second-best corner in the class.
C.J. Henderson is starting to draw some buzz as the second-best corner in the class. / Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Of course, when a team needs to improve its secondary, adding some corner back depth is generally the best bet. Ohio State's Jeff Okudah is unanimously considered the top corner in this class, but Florida's C.J. Henderson is starting to look like the second-best option. He'd likely be in play with the Raiders' second first-round pick, but Henderson's stock seems to be on the rise, and he's a natural fit for any CB-needy team.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.