The headliner from the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 draft haul was No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty. The former Boise State running back will hope to live up to his billing as the next Marshawn Lynch for head coach Pete Carroll.
However, Carroll's coaching roots are on the defensive side of the ball, and he likes his players in the secondary to fit one particular mold. While the Raiders return two players with such a build, the team needed to add at least one more player in the draft with these characteristics.
In the third round, the team selected Iowa State cornerback Darien Porter with the No. 68 overall pick. He actually began his college career as a wide receiver before transitioning to defense, which is exactly what former Seattle Seahawks legend Richard Sherman did before joining Carroll at the professional level.
Raiders receive praise for adding Pete Carroll's new Richard Sherman in NFL Draft
Porter is the dictionary definition of the physical mold Carroll wants in a cornerback, as he stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 195 pounds with arms that are over 33 inches long. He also has incredible speed, as evidenced by his 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and while his traits say he can be a good man-coverage corner, he predominantly played zone at Iowa State.
Pro Football Focus' Trevor Sikkema recently named his favorite pick by each team in this year's draft, and to no surprise, Porter was his choice for Las Vegas.
"Porter is a great scheme fit for the Raiders. His length and speed make him an ideal outside cornerback for Pete Carroll’s Cover 3-heavy defense," Sikkema wrote. "Porter earned a 91.1 PFF coverage grade while allowing just a 29.6% completion rate in 2024. A team that desperately needed cornerback help (and) got a good one."
Related: Raiders give Pete Carroll his new Richard Sherman with stellar Darien Porter pick
The Athletic's Ted Nguyen lauded the selection of Porter as well during a recent episode of the Just Win Podcast.
“Darien Porter, I think that is my favorite Raiders draft pick," Nguyen said. "Obviously, (Ashton) Jeanty has a ton of hype, but rarely do you see a 6-foot-3 guy be able to run a 4.3 [forty]. ... I think this is a very well worth it project. … I really like what I see from him."
There is a ton of praise being sent toward Porter and the Raiders, but the young cornerback suddenly has lofty expectations to live up to as a third-round pick. However, with Carroll as his coach, he is in great hands if he wants to become the next Richard Sherman.