Oakland Raiders: Five Late Round Prospects the Team Should Target

Feb 23, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas State defensive back Craig Mager catches a pass in a work out drill during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Craig Mager, CB, Texas State

Craig Mager is a cornerback playing out of the Sun Belt for the Texas State Bobcats, and was named to the preseason All Conference team. He stands 5’11” and weighs 201 lbs. Those physical stats are comparable to Browns stud CB Joe Haden and also Jets new CB Darrelle Revis — whom the Raiders reportedly had interest in before he chose to sign with the Jets.

Mager led all CB’s at the combine with a 4.4 40 yard dash — which was 19th best overall at the combine. He also led all CB’s in the broad jump with 130 inch jump. This stat is key because of how big the jump ball has become in the NFL, which when  combined with his speed, will help him cover some of the game’s elite receivers. And with a 130 inch vertical, he has at least a 50 percent chance to come away with that jump ball.

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In 2014 with Texas State, Mager contributed 63 tackles — 46 of them solo — six tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and ten passes defended. Playing out of the Sun Belt, and through only 12 games, these stats are quite impressive and showed how valuable he was to the Bobcats’ defense.

One additional benefit that Mager provides a team is his punt return ability. In 2014 he averaged 12.3 yards per return, which would’ve put him at third in the NFL, had he played. Oakland as a team only averaged 7.1 yards per return. Adding Mager would allow him to boost up the Raiders’ special teams and allow them to have a playmaker as a punt return man.

Mager’s skills as a cornerback aren’t too shabby either. He was a four year starter at Texas State and plays with great fire and intensity — something that should appeal to the Raiders who want to be a hard-nosed defensive team.

He has great strength and drives through his receivers, always attempting to jar the ball loose. Mager also has the ability to change direction mid-play — which as a cornerback, helped him covering the entire spectrum of the route tree.

He also has an ability to play man to man, which is key in any NFL defense. Mager is a strong corner with terrific speed and a great leaping ability.

Mager would be a great fit for the Raiders, opposite of a young riser in Hayden. Hayden has struggled with injuries his first couple of years in the league, but he is still a promising player. And if he were to be combined with Mager, the two could form a solid, fearsome tandem in Oakland’s defensive backfield

Drafting Mager would allow Oakland to have a few options a corner. Travis Carrie showed promise his first year, but doesn’t really seem to have that stud potential. The Raiders could draft Mager with the hope that Carrie improves, and use Mager as insurance. Option B would be throw Mager right into the fire and let him go to work.

He has all the makings of a solid starting corner in the NFL. With a little bit of fine tuning, he can becoming an above average starter for a young, growing defense in Oakland.

Next: S: Adrian Amos