One of the best moves the Las Vegas Raiders all offseason was trading up in the second round of the draft to select former TCU defensive back Trevon Moehrig. He was widely regarded as the best safety in the class but slipped further than anybody expected. After getting accused of making many reaches over the years, the team finally got some really good value in Moehrig.
He’s a rookie but the Raiders are going to need him to step up this season. If things work out in training camp, he should be a Week 1 starter at free safety. Luckily, he’s quickly making an impression at practice. On Wednesday, he made an impressive pass breakup on a pass to Hunter Renfrow from Derek Carr.
Carr remembered the play after practice and had strong praise for the rookie.
“This guy can actually cover so it’s impressive – especially Hunter, that guy doesn’t get covered,” Carr said of Moehrig’s play Tuesday. “God bless Moehrig, the next day we go out there and he has to cover Hunter, he doesn’t like to get covered twice. When he lines up and accepts that challenge, it’s a mismatch for the defense – a safety on a slot receiver. But he lined up, accepted that challenge and he made the play.
“That excites me as a quarterback because I want him to do that to [Patrick] Mahomes. I want him to break those passes up, and I think that will be a good thing for everybody.”
The Raiders drafted Moehrig to hopefully make plays against the Kansas City Chiefs and Mahomes. That’s a big ask for a rookie but if he’s up to the task, Las Vegas found a good one.
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Moehrig Has Taken First-Team Reps at Practice
The Raiders have struggled at safety for years so they don’t have the luxury of taking their time with Moehrig. According to Tashan Reed of The Athletic, he’s already been getting first-team reps. He’s also been seen with the second and third teams so he hasn’t locked anything down quite yet.
Regardless, he’s enjoying his early days as a Raider.
“I’ve loved it here so far,” Moehrig said Friday. “The team’s been great; the coaches have been great. I couldn’t have been a part of a better team.”
Moehrig Putting in the Work
One thing that will always stand out to head coach Jon Gruden is a player who works hard. Talent is important but the coach loves his grinders. Moehrig is making sure to put in the work early in his NFL career.
“For me, it’s just coming up here every day and just working my butt off,” Moehrig said. “I’m just trying to stack the days. And if I do that, my confidence will build, the team’s confidence will build and we’ll get to where we want to be. I try not to let the expectations get in my head, but just go out there and play football and have fun doing it.”
He’s got the skill set to be a great player so if he keeps putting in work, he could be a major difference-maker for the Raiders.
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Derek Carr Delievers Strong Statement on Raiders Rookie Trevon Moehrig