Gareon Conley showed flashes of brillance during the Oakland Raiders 2018 season, and is on the verge of breaking out for the team in 2019.
The Oakland Raiders selected Gareon Conley out of Ohio State in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. After a rookie season that saw him spend most of his time injured, and then a slow start to year No. 2 last year, Conley had a lot to prove to his new coaching staff.
As the season went on, the coaching staff started to lean on him more, and he responded by proving to be one of the better cornerbacks in the AFC West. As he enters the 2019 season, not only is he the top cornerback on the Raiders roster, but he is on the brink of becoming a superstar in this league.
Last season, Conley showed that he could shut down even the best of wide receivers the NFL has to offer. In back-to-back weeks, Conley played outstanding corner against Antonio Brown and Tyreek Hill, two guys who have a tendency to shred NFL defense.
In Week 13, playing against rival Kansas City, Conley held Hill to only 13 yards on one reception. The following week, in the Raiders stunning victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Conley shut down current teammate Brown, holding him to only 35 yards.
In 2019, Conley is going to always draw the opponent’s best wide receiver, and all signs point to him having a breakout season. He has shown he can hang in there with the best, and with a full season in Paul Guenther’s defense under his belt, Conley is a guy who could be headed towards his first Pro Bowl season.
This offseason, the Raiders added a bunch of talent to the cornerback group, including second round pick Trayvon Mullen, fourth round selection Isaiah Johnson, as well as re-signing Daryl Worley. This position group has more talent as a whole than it has in a long time, and Conley is the man leading the resurgence of this secondary.