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Raiders rookie Tre’von Moehrig receives distinct honor

By Mario O. Tovar

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 24: Dallas Goedert #88 of the Philadelphia Eagles is tackled by Trevon Moehrig #25 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half in the game at Allegiant Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 24: Dallas Goedert #88 of the Philadelphia Eagles is tackled by Trevon Moehrig #25 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the first half in the game at Allegiant Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Getty Images) /
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The Las Vegas Raiders came away with a steal after they traded up to the 43rd overall pick and nabbed TCU safety Tre’von Moehrig.

Looking to revamp their secondary, then-general manager Mike Mayock and ex-head coach Jon Gruden made sure they picked the much-lauded Tre’Von Moehrig. By way of TCU, the Jim Thorpe Award recipient made waves as he was hailed as the top safety prospect in the nation. Today, he continues to validate all the praise bestowed upon him, being named to the Pro Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team.

The future is bright in the Raiders’defensive backfield 

Moehrig also shares the distinction of being the only rookie from the Raiders roster to have cracked the squad. A case could have been made for Moehrig’s running mate in the backfield, Nate Hobbs. The nickel corner made his presence known this year after winning the starting job in training camp.

Together, they led a resurgence under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley that saw noticeable improvements across the board.

The Raiders’ passing defense alone improved in terms of yardage. They were ranked 26th under Paul Guenther last season. This year, Bradley’s unit improved that to 13th in the NFL. Moehrig’s individual numbers and overall performance certainly warrant merit. He totaled six pass deflections as a rookie and though he thought he had just one interception, he made his presence known.

It could be argued opposing signal-callers didn’t target him too much either. Per Pro Football Reference, Moehrig was only targeted 24 times in pass coverage. Clearly, opposing teams didn’t pick on him as a rookie. That too is worth noting. Giving up just 181 yards for the entire regular season is downright splendid.

Depending on who takes over the Raiders’ defense (or if Bradley returns), Moehrig will be a foundational piece moving forward.

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