Raiders draft results: Amik Robertson pick is a home run

My initial reaction when the Raiders took Louisiana Tech cornerback Amik Robertson at pick No. 139, in the fourth round?

Needless to say, I like it.

On Friday night while previewing the Raiders’ Day 3 team needs, I chose to make Robertson my photo for the story. During the week, I made a case for the Raiders taking Robertson and I mocked him to Las Vegas.

I just felt like the fit was too good, too natural. Clearly, Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock felt the same way.

When Robertson was taken, the draft analysts went to the “Gruden Grinder” well. It may be a cliché, but it works in this case.

Robertson is simply a dog of a cornerback. He fights every play. He is only 5’8, but it doesn’t matter.

Check this out:

He had five interceptions and 16 pass break-ups in 2019. He is super aggressive and he has that necessary corner swag.

Injuries have kept him down. He had a chance to go to LSU, but a knee injury in high school scuttled that. He had groin surgery this January that kept him out of the combine and pushed him down the draft.

It was the Raiders’ win.

Last year, defensive end Maxx Crosby was a rookie star after being a fourth-round pick. The same thing might happen here.

The Raiders are now super young at cornerback in terms of who is going to play. I can see the top five corners being 2019 second-round pick Trayvon Mullen, 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette, Robertson, nickel LaMarcus Joyner and 2019 fourth-round pick Isaiah Johnson being the Raiders cornerbacks this season. It has a chance to be greatly improved.

Like at receiver, the Raiders were aggressive at cornerback in this draft with the idea of transforming the defense for the future in mind.

The choice of Robertson is a smart move in making that a reality.