With the end of free agency, the Las Vegas Raiders are concentrating a lot on the 2024 NFL Draft. Although there has been discussion about the team selecting a quarterback in the first round, cornerback is still a position of great need.

Terrion Arnold of Alabama is regarded as one of the best contenders for the job and ought to be selected in the first round. During Arnold’s March 20 Alabama Pro Day, cameras saw Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce speaking with Arnold one-on-one.

Pierce, who joined the Raiders in 2022, was a college player prior to taking over as head coach for the team full-time in this one. He is undoubtedly at ease playing college football. Pierce may have had a prior relationship with the coach as he served as Arizona State’s recruiting coordinator from 2018 to 2021. In any case, Pierce will research the best cornerback prospects, and it’s likely that the Raiders will give Arnold substantial consideration with the No. 13 choice.

Terrion Arnold Compared to Marshon Lattimore

Given that many of the teams that selected before the Raiders had more pressing needs on offense than defense, this is an excellent year to be in need of a cornerback. The best cornerback in the class can be available for selection to Las Vegas.

Undoubtedly, Terrion Arnold is a contender to be the first cornerback off the board. In his scouting report, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Arnold to All-Pro Marcus Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints.

Zierlein described Arnold in his scouting profile as a “twitchy man-cover corner with outstanding athletic ability and the skill set to bring in ball production at the professional level.” “Despite his average stature, Arnold plays with the appropriate amount of aggressiveness and competitiveness in each of his roles. He can match up against a range of receiver flavors in the slot or on the outside thanks to his quickness and agility. Arnold might use a somewhat different strategy to reduce the yards after catch and tighten up routes from off coverages. He can meet throws at the catch point with a good feel for playing angles and attacking the receiver’s hands thanks to his closing burst. Arnold will make mistakes with positioning and lose focus at times, but the athletic traits and nose for the ball create quality upside for him to be positioned as a CB1 within a couple of years.”

Lattimore is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL so it’s certainly a lofty comparison. If the Raiders agree with that comparison, it’s hard to imagine he’ll get past No. 13.

---

Las Vegas Raiders Need to Address CB

The Raiders don’t have a legitimate No. 1 cornerback on the roster after losing Mik Robertson to free agency. They might still talk about the position on the trade market or in free agency. They’ll have to draft one early if not.

Christian Wilkins was brought in during the summer, and Las Vegas has developed a strong defensive line. Along with an outstanding defensive line, they would be extremely difficult to score on for teams. Cornerback should be the next position on the list of needs, but quarterback is the most crucial position, and the Raiders should aim to select one early in the draft if they can locate the perfect one.