2020 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Combine mock with Redskins trading down
19. player. 28. . Cornerback. Las Vegas Raiders. C.J. Henderson
The Raiders are probably bummed out in this scenario that the Redskins took Murray. They have a massive weakness at linebacker and would’ve liked to pair him with his Oklahoma teammate CeeDee Lamb to get two playmakers on each side of the ball with their two first-round picks.
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. And instead, the Raiders will focus elsewhere on the defensive side of the ball. They could use a cornerback to pair with Trayvon Mullen and C.J. Henderson is the best one available.
Henderson didn’t make a lot of splash plays at Florida last season, but he did log a career-high 11 pass defenses. So while he didn’t get an interception after totaling six combined in the previous two years, he still made an impact on opposing receivers.
Henderson is really good in coverage and does great sticking to receivers. He doesn’t allow a lot of separation and is aggressive in staying with his opponent. He has good athleticism, solid size (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) and should find a way to be an outside starter at the NFL level. He will definitely have to improve his tackling, though, as he struggled immensely in that area.
Mike Mayock loves football players, so he may ultimately want to shy away from Henderson when watching some of his late-season play. But it’s worth noting that Henderson was dealing with an injury that caused him to miss three games this season, and that could’ve impacted his play/willingness to tackle. If he can show that he loves the game during combine interviews, perhaps the Raiders will give him a shot with their second first-round pick.