Las Vegas Raiders: Amik Robertson ready to prove his doubters wrong

The Las Vegas Raiders selected undersized CB AmikRobertson in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and he’s coming in with a massive chip on his shoulder.

Coming in to the NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders knew they had to address the cornerback position after losing two starters to trades and free agency. They selected Damon Arnette in the first round and he has all the tools and measurables to be a long term starter. In the fourth round, they took a flyer on Louisiana Tech’s Amik Robertson.

Amik Robertson has all the speed and production that you would want from a top level defensive back but his size is what saw him fall down draft boards across the league. Robertson measures in at 5’8″ and 187 pounds which is on the smaller end especially for an outside cornerback. The Raiders were thrilled to see him drop so far as GM Mike Mayock believed if Robertson was ” two inches taller he would have gone yesterday [Rounds 2-3]. That’s the only knock on him”.

The other knock on Robertson was the level of competition he faced at a smaller school in Louisiana Tech but that hasn’t stopped fellow Bulldog Tramon Williams from having a wonderful career. We have seen time and time again the NFL that players from small schools can make big impacts when they get to the next level.

After being chosen by the Raiders, Robertson spoke to The Athletic’s Tashan Reed about the draft process and everything that brought him to this point. Robertson, when speaking about his slide down the draft boards said:

"“I’ve been doubted my whole life. That whole process, I wasn’t in control of nothing. It was just a waiting game. When I saw guys that I knew I was better than get picked over me, I didn’t understand. I had so much anger built up, but I was also relieved.“It was like, ‘OK, I got the shot that I wanted.’ I will carry that moment for the rest of my career. I don’t want to ever want to feel as low as I did before that call. I felt like I was at my lowest. Jon Gruden gave me that call and it was everything.”"

Players like Robertson that don’t fit the prototype at their position are often doubted by draft evaluators but as he said, he will carry that with him and come to Las Vegas ready to compete his tail off. He was doubted when he first went to Louisiana Tech and left after 3 seasons with 34 passes defended and 14 interceptions, good enough for third all-time in school history.

He will compete straight away with Lamarcus Joyner for the nickel corner position and if the post-draft quotes from Gruden and Mayock are any indication, will be given every opportunity to succeed and take the job if he earns it. The Raiders have been sorely missing a playmaker in the secondary since Charles Woodson‘s retirement and Robertson is ready to fill that void.

On the impact he hopes to make in Silver and Black, Robertson said the following:

"“I got a point to prove. I want to be legendary. I don’t want to just be a starter. I don’t just want to be an impact player. I want to be a starter, impact player, win games, win a Super Bowl and be one of the best defensive backs to ever come through the Raiders organization.”"

Those are high aims for a player that so many teams passed on but this is exactly the type of fight and attitude that the Raiders need, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With the trio of Trayvon Mullen, Damon Arnette, and Amik Robertson patrolling the defensive backfield alongside Jonathan Abram and Damarious Randall, the Raiders could have the NFL’s next great secondary group.