One of the more intriguing picks from the 2020 draft for the Raiders was fourth-round cornerback Amik Robertson. Despite playing at a small school, Robertson was among college football’s best defensive backs. In fact, he was a second-team All-American selection in 2019 after recording five interceptions and 16 pass deflections.
However, Robertson did not play much during his rookie season as he dealt with a pre-draft injury that limited him earlier in the year. He did appear in eight games as a rookie, playing a total of 35 snaps. The expectation has always been that Robertson would play in the slot in the NFL, but that might be changing under new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
According to Vic Tafur of The Athletic, the Raiders, specifically, Bradley, are considering moving Robertson to the outside:
“Amik Robertson, Nevin Lawson and Keisean Nixon could also be in the mix in the slot — which is wide open — although word is that Bradley liked Robertson’s one-on-one coverage skills coming out of the draft and might think of him more as an outside corner.”
Robertson dominated as an outside cornerback in college, totaling 14 interceptions and 34 pass deflections. But he is only 5’8 and 187 pounds and is usually too small for a Cover-3 cornerback.
But if the Raiders believe that’s where his best football is played, it’s not the worst idea to move him to the outside. Keep an eye on the second-year cornerback as he could potentially slide to the outside during training camp and into the season.
