Oakland Raiders: Realistic options at No. 4 during the 2019 NFL Draft

Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia

Second year man Gareon Conley, finally healthy and in a system that can best utilize his talents, finally emerged as a legitimate No. 1 corner this season. He played at an elite level and was more or less the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal secondary for Oakland.

Now that they have theirr CB1, Gruden and Mayock should turn their attention to getting him a reliable playmaker on the other side of the field.

Enter Deandre Baker.

While a lot of draft experts list LSU’s Greedy Williams higher than Baker, there are some who think that Williams may be a bit overrated and that Baker is the better cover corner.

At 5-11, 183 pounds, he’s got solid size. He has good, but not elite speed. He does though, have the football IQ, athleticism, and length to prevent separation. Pro Football Focus grades Baker at 91.4 and he’s allowed a QB rating of just 31.3, which is obviously exceptional.

Baker surprised most everybody when he decided to return to Georgia for another year, but it’s a decision that may pay off for him. Another year of seasoning and refining his technique has made him as NFL-ready as anybody and more so than many others.

Being able to line Baker up on one side and Conley on the other will present a host of problems for opposing quarterbacks who’ve been able to feast on Oakland’s coverage the last few years. It would also hopefully end a revolving door at the position that’s seen Rashaan Melvin, Daryl Worley, Leon Hall, Nick Nelson, and others take a turn in the barrel.

The Raiders need another top-shelf cornerback to pair with Conley and they may just get it if they take Baker at No. 4.