Raiders: Rookie report card three-quarters into the 2019 season
By Nico Di Fede
Trayvon Mullen, CB
Trayvon Mullen was thrust into the starting spot ever since Gareon Conley was traded to the Houston Texans back in Week 8 and since then has made this year’s draft class look even more impressive.
He has not been perfect, but he has easily outplayed what Conley was providing to the defense.
In the Raiders’ most recent game against the Chiefs, Mullen was targeted nine times by Patrick Mahomes, only allowing three catches for 33 yards. He also came away with two pass deflections.
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Against the Bengals, Mullen gave up four receptions, but he also had two deflections and the game-clinching pick-six. That gave him a 91.7 coverage grade per Pro Football Focus which led all starting cornerbacks in Week 11.
Mullen did struggle against the Jets, but so did everybody else in the Raiders secondary. And in today’s league, cornerback may be the hardest position to play on the defensive side of the ball — maybe on either side of the ball — so the growing pains are to be expected.