You’re on the clock and making the pick for the Raiders, who are you taking?
Especially after waiving Jack Jones, the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to add a cornerback during the 2025 NFL Draft. The Raiders have recently been exploring and shown interest in a couple of projected first-round picks at the position; Texas’ Jahdae Barron and Michigan’s Will Johnson.
Johnson was in Las Vegas for a Top 30 visit, and ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported that Barron is on the club’s radar. “Cornerback could be another position the Raiders target early, especially if they decide to trade down from No. 6,” Reid wrote on April 10. “Multiple league sources have mentioned Jahdae Barron as an option if the Raiders trade back.”
While Reid’s report is specific to the Silver and Black trading back to take the Texas product, that scenario could apply to either player. NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board has Johnson as the second-best corner and 12th overall player in the draft class while Barron is third and 14th, respectively. Also, sticking at six and drafting either player is an option.
So, which prospect should the Raiders prioritize?
Will Johnson’s Case
Had it not been for an injury that limited him to just six games last season, Johnson would have a strong case to be the top cornerback in this year’s draft class. He can play either man or zone coverages and is a playmaker on the perimeter, hauling in nine career interceptions with three pick-sixes. Also, he has the skill set to contribute as a nickelback at the next level, one of Las Vegas’ biggest needs in the secondary.
In comparing Johnson to Barron, the Michigan product is younger, having just turned 22 years old at the end of March while Barron will be 24 in December. The Wolverine also has the size advantage as he’s three inches taller and has slightly longer arms — 30⅛” to 29⅝”. While some have called Johnson’s tackling into question, his career missed tackle rate is nearly identical to Barron’s — 15.7 percent to 14.0 percent (via Pro Football Focus).
Barron’s Case
No college cornerback had a better season in 2024 than the Jim Thorpe Award winner. Barron had plenty of ball production last year with five interceptions, which led the SEC, and 11 passes defended in total. Additionally, he showed plenty of versatility throughout his time in Austin, both schematically and positionally.
Unlike Johnson who is a projection at nickel, the former Longhorn was primarily a slot corner in 2022 and 2023 and often slid inside in passing situations last fall, recording 900 career snaps at that spot. Also, he put together a quality performance at the NFL Combine, earning an 8.64 RAS that was highlighted by a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, while an additional injury kept Johnson from testing.
My pick is for Johnson as I think he has a brighter future on the outside while Barron could be a “slot-only” type of corner in the NFL with his lack of length. I’m also not as concerned about the former Wolverine’s tackling as others seem to be and think he could fill a similar role as Devon Witherspoon did with Pete Carroll in Seattle.
But what say you? Who would you prioritize in the draft at the end of the month?
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