Oakland Raiders: Analyzing the cornerbacks

Dec 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders cornerback T.J. Carrie (38) knocks down a pass intended for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan (15) in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

T.J. Carrie

Former seventh-round pick out of Ohio University is entering the 2015 season as Oakland’s No. 1 corner.

Carrie appeared in 13 games (four starts) in 2014 as a rookie. He accumulated 44 combined tackles, eight passes defensed, and one interception.

Now in his second year in the NFL, Carrie has continued to impress the Oakland coaching staff beyond the tail end of the 2014 season, as he has been projected into the starting role since the beginning of offseason training.

“When you are looked at as a starter, the mistakes and errors have to be limited to pretty much none,” Carrie said via Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com. “So last year as a rookie, they’re willing to give you those mistakes and opportunities to fail because you’re learning, you’re getting acclimated to the NFL and to the season and the different aspects of what you have to do. But coming into the next year and you’re projected to be a starter, they expect more of a higher level from you as an athlete. The pressure is definitely building higher. That’s something that we live to play this game for, is to be in the pressure. All pressure is good pressure.”

Carrie went on to live up to those high expectations in Oakland’s preseason debut Friday Aug. 14, as he allowed just one completion for eight yards.

At 6’0”, 206 pounds, Carrie isn’t quite the size Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. was used to having with his defensive backs in Seattle, but he still brings several favorable qualities to the table. He is a very instinctive cornerback that has the explosiveness and top-speed to keep with some of the faster receivers in the NFL.

Expect Carrie to have a relatively successful season in comparison to the rest of Oakland’s defensive back, as he is in a position to further separate himself as the top cover corner on the roster during the 2015 season.

Next: Cornerback Breakdown: D.J. Hayden