The second day of the 2022 NFL Draft is officially two weeks away and that is when the Raiders are set to make their first pick. And while you never can know for sure, it appears the Raiders are leaning towards drafting a cornerback with their top pick.
They’ve met with several cornerbacks with their 30 visits and you can now add Damarri Mathis from Pittsburgh to that list. According to Jordan Schultz of The Game Day, Mathis had a pre-draft visit with the Raiders this week.
.@Pitt_FB CB Damarri Mathis had a top-30 visit w/the #Raiders and has another one — w/the #Bears — on April 18, per source.
Mathis had a sensational Combine:
40: 4.39
Vert: 43.5
Broad: 11’1Also had 5 INTs, 18 Pass PBUs And just 37% completion since 2019 (2nd-best in country)
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 14, 2022
Mathis is expected to be a late Day 2, early Day 3 selection after starting 25 games for the Panthers. He has dealt with some injuries in the past (shoulder, knee), but he is healthy and was named an honorable mention for the All-ACC team in 2021.
Mathis projects as an outside cornerback in the NFL at 5’11, 198 pounds. And as Schultz mentioned, he’s got fantastic athleticism after posting a 43.5″ vertical and 11’3 broad jump at his Pro Day.
It’s pretty clear that the Raiders want to add some speed and athleticism to their defense this offseason and Mathis certainly has that. He could be an option for them at No. 86 or even No. 126, should he fall that far.
