The Las Vegas Raiders have some notable competitions brewing after OTAs. The defensive backfield is going to be a position group to watch closely.
The Raiders brought in some veteran and young players to shake up the group, but there’s some serious talent. Last year, the team used a third-round pick to add Darien Porter. The 6-foot-3 speedster was originally a wide receiver, but converted to cornerback in 2022.
He has an elite athletic profile and showed promise in limited action last season. It has been expected that Porter would be the other starting outside cornerback opposite Eric Stokes, but he’s now got some real competition.
The Athletic’s Sam Warren believes that Porter’s stock is down following OTAs.
“Porter handled all first-team reps with Stokes during OTAs,” Warren wrote. “He looked to be, as Spytek described, a physical corner poised to take a jump between Years 1 and 2. But during minicamp, he began to rotate with (Hezekiah) Masses, standing on the sidelines as the fifth-round rookie took his reps.
“Porter is still the favorite to start at corner with Stokes. But with the selections of McCoy and Masses, it’s clear the Raiders want competition.”
Masses’ Stock is Rising
Out of the rookie cornerbacks the Raiders drafted, fourth-round pick Jermod McCoy has been talked about the most. He was supposed to be a first-round pick, but injury concerns caused him to fall.
While he still could have a bright future, the Raiders may have found a gem in fifth-round pick Hezekiah Masses. Warren believes that his stock is up.
“The rookie corner with the most intrigue this offseason is Jermod McCoy,” Warren wrote. “He looked like a first-round talent when on the field for the first time in Las Vegas, but his absence from the majority of OTAs, because of his knee ailment, also illustrated why he fell to the fourth round. With McCoy sidelined, another rookie took advantage.
“Masses, a fifth-round pick, showed off his touted ball skills in the practices, breaking up a few passes across multiple sessions. He also played with the aggressiveness at the line of scrimmage that Leonard is looking for in his attacking scheme. Masses’ performance earned him first-team reps during minicamp, going against the Raiders’ top receivers alongside Eric Stokes.”
Raiders Have to Feel Great About Secondary
This is the most exciting secondary the Raiders have had in years. The group is very young, but it is brimming with potential.
Second-round pick Treydan Stukes could be a star, Masses is making waves in practice and McCoy could be a shutdown corner if he’s healthy.
The Raiders also have solid veterans like Stokes, former All-Pro Taron Johnson and versatile safety Jeremy Chinn. The secondary is very athletic and versatile right now. That said, it is a very young group. If Stukes, McCoy, Masses and Porter aren’t ready to make an impact this season, there could be serious growing pains. Fortunately, the Raiders just need these young players to show flashes of playmaking ability to feel good about the future of the group.
Promising Young Raiders Player Put on Notice After OTAs