ALAMEDA, Calif. -- There were times during Trayvon Mullen's freshman season at Clemson when Tigers coach Dabo Swinney would halt practice and summon the young cornerback to the middle of the field.

Swinney would then motion for fourth-year junior receiver Mike Williams to line up opposite Mullen, with Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson at quarterback.

"One-on-one," recalled Clelin Ferrell, the Oakland Raiders' rookie defensive end who also played at Clemson. "Stop the whole practice. Trayvon and Mike, so the best man would win."

Um, so who won?

"I mean, Mike probably won more, because Mike was like a vet and Mike was killing," a sheepish Ferrell said with a sly grin. "Trayvon won some of them, but Mike won more. I ain't going to lie to you."

While Mullen got his Clemson baptism by fire at the knee of Williams, Mullen's first NFL start will likely come Sunday against the Houston Texans, and, yes, Watson. Mullen, the Raiders' second-round draft pick, ascends to the starting role following Monday's trade of cornerback Gareon Conley to, yes, the Texans.

And it's not just Mullen vs. Watson. It will be a Clemson reunion at NRG Stadium, with the Texans boasting Watson, receiver DeAndre Hopkins, defensive end Carlos Watkins and defensive lineman D.J. Reader, while the Raiders counter with rookies Mullen, Ferrell and receiver Hunter Renfrow.

Yeah, you read that right. Mullen could be facing one of the game's most explosive wideouts in Hopkins, who has 49 catches for 508 yards and three touchdowns and was long gone from Death Valley when Mullen stepped foot on campus.

"I think he's going to be fine, I do," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of Mullen. "I think he's going to be challenged, I know that, but I think his makeup is perfect. I think he's a very confident, well-prepared kid.

"We'll get what we deserve at every position, including corner. I know he's going to be tested and I'm anxious to see him compete."

Mullen is also anxious to compete after watching his playing time plummet the past three games.

Consider: after playing 64 of 199 defensive snaps (32.2 percent) in Weeks 1-3, Mullen was on the field for just 14 of 191 defensive snaps (7%) against the Indianapolis Colts, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.

"I'm ready for it," said Mullen, who has three tackles on defense. "I work daily, I pay attention in meetings, I just have to have a focused mindset."

As far as being tested, Mullen fully expects his old college teammate to target him.

"Most definitely, (but) it gives me a chance to make plays," Mullen said. "It's an opportunity at hand, so I'm ready. We've got guys on the team that are ready for me to show what I can do, and ready for me to show that I've got their backs. So, I've got a lot to prove and a lot to stand up to.

"Being a big corner, I know I have to focus on being able to stay low, keep my pad level low, keep my feet underneath me and just continue to play hard ... so I can have better balance, be stronger and be more physical with guys."

Mullen had a rough go of it in the season opener against the Denver Broncos, getting beat by Emmanuel Sanders after Mullen had replaced an injured Conley. Mullen said he was "too eager to make plays" against the Broncos and not letting the plays come to him.

And the way Mullen, who was credited with never giving up a touchdown catch in college, deals with it is simple -- getting beat serves as motivation. Even if it is an unfamiliar feeling.

You have to have a short memory, "for the next play, the next drive, the next series," Mullen said.

"Just settle in and play football. Been doing it my whole life."

Of course, if Ferrell and the rest of the Raiders defensive line can pressure Watson, that will lessen the load on Mullen on the back end.

"I saw how special he was in college, I got to witness it every single day," Ferrell said of Watson. "I would just say he's doing it on a bigger stage now.

"Familiarity? I just know he's going to bring it. I know he's a guy that's going to try to put a team on his back. I kind of know what he's built on, what he's made of, so I've got to bring it. He's got (those) special intangibles inside him, that’s the biggest thing. The guy tries to make a lot of plays. He wants the ball in his hands at the end of the game. He'll do whatever it takes -- run, pass -- it don't really matter."

Renfrow, who caught 11 touchdown passes from Watson in two seasons -- including the game-winner against Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship game -- agrees, and said the numerous Clemson players had this game circled on the schedule once they were drafted.

"Very composed, very cool, always the calmest on the field ... hopefully he's none of that this week," Renfrow laughed. "Hopefully he's all jittery and throwing it to our guys."

Which brings us back to Mullen.

In a way, it's the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Mullen's freshman year revisited ... NFL style.

"People were asking me, coming in, how Trayvon was going to do," Renfrow said. "And the Trayvon that I see, he kind of feels his way and whenever he's ready, it's his time, he goes and attacks it. That's what I think he's going to do, that's what we expect him to do. He's a great player and he's reliable. That's the most important thing -- he's going to be where he needs to be and he's going to go out there and make plays."

Across the Raiders locker room, Ferrell smiled and took a swig from his protein shake.

"It's a big opportunity," Ferrell said. "This isn't new for Trayvon."