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Oakland Raiders Team Awards: MVP, Rookie of the Year, and more

By Brad Weiss

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 30: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders throws a pass during the second half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 30: Derek Carr #4 of the Oakland Raiders throws a pass during the second half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 18: Gareon Conley #21 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates an interception in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 18: Gareon Conley #21 of the Oakland Raiders celebrates an interception in the first half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

Defensive Player of the Year: Gareon Conley

It took a little while for Gareon Conley to get going in 2018, but once he started to figure out the NFL game, he turned into one of the best cornerbacks in football. Conley, the team’s first round pick in 2017, barely played as a rookie last season, but entering the 2019 NFL season, he has to be viewed as one of the best young defensive players in the division.

Throughout the 2018 NFL season, Conley continuously shut down the opposition, including Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown, who caught only five balls for 35 yards against the second-year corner. He dominated the competition, leading a defensive backfield  that led the league with only 299 completions allowed.

Personally, Conley was as good a shutdown cornerback as any player in the league, giving up only 27 catches the entire season. For someone who most had considered a bust, Conley has developed into the player the organization was hoping he would be when they took him in 2017, and is our choice for Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.

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