Should Las Vegas Raiders draft Antoine Winfield Jr.?

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Monday, April 20, 2020 | 2 a.m.

If the Raiders want to fortify their defensive backfield — and they should, considering their pass defense ranked near the bottom of the league last year — the draft will present a great opportunity to do so.

Along with wide receiver, which could be another priority for Las Vegas, this draft is purported to be stocked with quality players at the cornerback and safety positions. Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden have two first-round picks with which to work (No. 12 and No. 19), so there should be a plethora of impact pass defenders on the board (aside from Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, who is projected to go in the top five and is therefore not part of this discussion).

Of course, choosing the right player is the key. With second-year man Trayvon Mullen settling in as the team’s No. 2 corner and fellow sophomore Johnathan Abram penciled in at strong safety, it makes sense to consider fit as well as talent when projecting the Raiders’ pick.

From a fit perspective, the best DB for the Raiders might be Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. He was spectacular as a junior in 2019, registering 88 tackles and seven interceptions to earn first-team All-American honors, and his highlights were simply spectacular.

When it comes to defending the deep pass, Winfield is the best player in the draft. He reads routes, receivers and quarterbacks faster than anyone on the field and makes ridiculous plays on a consistent basis.

Take a look at this interception against Fresno State (Winfield’s second end-zone pick of the game). In a situation where a touchdown would win the game for Fresno, the Bulldogs roll their QB to the right and run crossing routes across the field in that direction, all designed to take Winfield out of the play. Then they leak a tight end down the seam behind him, looking for a game-winning score.

Instead, Winfield recognizes the action, peels off his assignment (once he’s assured the man is covered by the other safety) and flashes all the way across the field to pick off the pass. Considering everything involved — game situation, recognition, athleticism, etc. — this play is unbelievable:

Winfield’s walk-off interception might have been the best play made in college football in 2019. And he does stuff like that all the time. That coverage ability would make a really nice complement next to Abram’s tone-setting physicality.

Winfield isn’t just a ballhawk, though. He can switch into missile mode and come downhill with the best of them:

The only drawback with Winfield — the only thing keeping him out of the top 10 discussion, really — is his size. He measured 5-foot-9, 203 pounds at the combine, and while he can fly for highlight hits, there are times when he gets lost in the run game:

That’s a small knock against Winfield, though. He’s a big-play machine and the kind of versatile weapon who could make a difference against high-powered passing attacks like Kansas City. Most mocks have him as a second-round pick, probably due to his size, but if Las Vegas is willing to overlook a couple inches he would be a home run at No. 19.

Other top-ranked defensive backs who figure to be available when the Raiders pick:

C.J. Henderson, Cornerback, Florida

One of the most popular picks for the Raiders during mock draft season, Henderson is long (6-foot-1) and fast (4.39 40-yard dash). There are times when receivers challenge him downfield and Henderson is step-for-step — or even a step ahead of the route.

His long speed is impressive:

Henderson’s physical attributes are top-notch. There are times when he will misread routes or let receivers get behind him too easily, but that could improve with dedicated coaching and more experience:

Kristian Fulton, Cornerback, LSU

In the Sun’s most recent mock draft Fulton was the pick for Las Vegas at No. 19, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Raiders take him in real life on Thursday. Fulton measures in at 6-foot, and while his 4.46 40 at the combine wasn’t blazing, it’s plenty good enough considering his athletic ability.

Fulton is strong in man coverage and when playing off, and it’s hard to beat him over the top because he can turn and run so fluidly:

Fulton’s biggest drawback is a common one for defensive backs, as he often has trouble locating the ball in the air and making a play on it. That led to too many pass-interference penalties and big gains.

It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but compared to a player like Winfield Jr., Fulton’s ball skills just aren’t that good:

Xavier McKinney, Safety, Alabama

If Winfield Jr. is the best safety in the draft, McKinney is a close second. At 6-foot, 201 pounds, he has better size than Winfield Jr. and it shows in McKinney’s tackling ability.

McKinney is comfortable diagnosing running plays and being active in the box, and put simply, he hits hard:

That sledgehammer style of play is reminiscent of Abram, but McKinney could still be a fit for the Raiders because he can defend the deep part of the field. He’s not as instinctive as Winfield Jr. — no one in this draft is — but he has a similar ability to read route combinations and make great decisions on the fly.

On this play, McKinney comes off a crossing route once it’s closed up and peels back to intercept a deep pass to the end zone:

And the 2020 class of defensive backs doesn’t end there. It’s a deep group with varying strengths and weaknesses, and if the Raiders decide to go in that direction they should have their choice of young, talented pass defenders.

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.