The Raiders could go so many different directions with the No. 17 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. They need help on all three levels of their defense and there should be an adequate amount of talent at each position in the middle of the first round.
But what would be the best-case scenario at No. 17 for the Raiders? Would it be a dominating defensive tackle like Christian Barmore from Alabama? Or what about a speedy off-the-ball linebacker like Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah from Notre Dame? Well, I guess it depends on who you ask.
In a recent article by NFL draft legend Mel Kiper Jr., he said that TCU free safety Trevon Moehrig would be the best possible fit for the Raiders in the first round. Here is a snippet of his thoughts on the possible pairing:
“I think it’s what I laid out on my mock draft 2.0, with TCU safety Trevon Moehrig falling to Vegas. He’s the top safety on the board — the only safety with a first-round grade from me — and a player who can cover the deep half of the field and relieve pressure on the Raiders’ corners. They should be thrilled if Moehrig is still available.”
It’s not a bad thought by Kiper as Moehrig has everything Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden would want in a safety. He has a ton of experience, ball production and the ideal size to play the position. However, there are some concerns about his fit in Gus Bradley’s defense as he’s never been a true “centerfielder” type of safety in college. Instead, he did his best work in Cover 2 and near the line of scrimmage.
Despite the questionable fit, Moehrig still checks a lot of boxes the Raiders want in a first-round pick. While he might not be the favorite (right now) to go at No. 17, he is certainly on the shortlist of players Mayock and Gruden will consider.
