The Las Vegas Raiders needed to rebuild after a brutal four-win campaign in 2024, and owner Mark Davis brought in just the man for the job. This offseason, the franchise hired Pete Carroll to be the team's next head coach. Carroll is a bonafide winner who can lead the Raiders out of this dark time.
Carroll became famous after leading the Seattle Seahawks to two straight Super Bowls in the 2010s, including a 43-8 smackdown of the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. His "Legion of Boom" defenses in Seattle were filled with big, long-armed, hard-hitting defensive backs that changed the way the NFL approached their secondary building.
After losing several starting cornerbacks this offseason, Las Vegas should be targeting the position in the 2025 NFL Draft. Here are five players that Carroll may be monitoring as he looks to build the Raiders in the image of his past defenses.
5 mid-round prospects who fit perfectly with Raiders HC Pete Carroll
1. Shavon Revel, East Carolina
Revel stands at just under 6-foot-2 and has arms that are 32 and 5/8 inches, which is precisely the kind of player that Carroll is intrigued by. The East Carolina product had a shortened senior campaign due to an ACL tear, but he will be healthy by the beginning of the NFL season. In 2023, he recorded 54 tackles, 13 passes defended, an interception and a fumble recovery for a touchdown with the Pirates. He's an older prospect and will need to gain some weight, but he could be a starting outside corner for the Silver and Black on day one.
2. Azareye'h Thomas, Florida State
Thomas is another cornerback with great measurables, standing at 6-foot-1 with 32 and 3/8-inch arms. Carroll is sure to see potential in this prospect, as the 20-year-old Thomas starred at Florida State over the last three seasons. In his final two campaigns with the Seminoles, he recorded 81 tackles and 14 passes defended in addition to an interception and racked up seven tackles for loss as well. He might not be a freak athletically, but his frame and production would give Carroll and the Raiders plenty to work with.
3. Darien Porter, Iowa State
Porter is a physical specimen at 6-foot-3 with 33 and 1/8-inch arms. He had the second-highest athleticism score at the NFL combine and ran a lightning-fast 4.3 in the 40-yard dash. Carroll is sure to be captivated by his combination of size, speed and length, and his on-field production improved in each of his six years at Iowa State. Despite being an older prospect and a late bloomer, Porter may remind Carroll of former UTSA and Seahawks corner Riq Woolen, which may be enough for the Raiders to take a gamble on him in the middle rounds.
4. Zah Frazier, Texas-San Antonio
Speaking of UTSA products, Frazier is another big and productive cornerback that Carroll may want to invest a late-round pick in. At just under 6-foot-3 and an arm length of 32 and 7/8 inches, Frazier dominated for the Roadrunners in his final college campaign. In 2024, he recorded 24 tackles and nine passes defended in addition to six interceptions, which led the American Athletic Conference. He'll turn 25 during his rookie season, but Las Vegas may take a chance on him for his length and athleticism alone.
5. Tommi Hill, Nebraska
Tommi Hill is one of the most polarizing late-round prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. His 6-foot-1 frame combined with 32 and 7/8-inch arms are sure to catch the eye of Carroll, but his production score at the NFL combine was one of the worst at the event. However, he had the top athleticism score at the combine and recorded five interceptions and 10 passes defended in his final two years as a Cornhusker. He did have a nagging injury last season, and he struggles with reading the quarterback at times, but his frame alone might be enough for the Raiders to take a flyer on him.