The Raiders appear to be doing a lot of pre-draft work on cornerbacks in case they miss out on the top prospects in the first round. On Sunday, we learned that general manager Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden met with Lousiana Tech cornerback Amik Robertson. Today, another slot cornerback has captured the eyes of the Raiders.
According to Justin Mello of the Draft Wire, the Raiders have met with Michigan State cornerback Josiah Scott ahead of the NFL Draft. Scott started 30 games for the Spartans from 2017-2019 and he was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in his junior season.
Scott projects as a slot cornerback in the NFL as he measured in at just 5’9 at the NFL Combine. He has poor arm length (29 3/8″), but his quickness and aggressiveness make for a perfect inside against quick receivers. Here is a snippet of what NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had to say about Scott:
(Scott) has no issues checking athletic boxes with quick feet, smooth hips and explosive speed. He has above-average recovery burst and athleticism, so he should be able to make the move to the slot despite limited reps there. He has ball-hawking traits and coverage talent is not an issue. His ability to stay healthy and overcome his size/strength limitations could be the difference between being a starting nickel or solid backup.
If the Raiders miss out on a cornerback in the first few rounds, expect Scott to be a potential fallback option for Mayock and Gruden. He’s one of the draft’s most underrated cornerbacks as he allowed just 453 yards in coverage over the last two seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.
