If Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll could build his ideal cornerback in a lab, it would probably look a lot like Darien Porter. The rookie cornerback from Iowa State stands at just under 6-foot-4 and weighs 195 pounds, boasting 33 and 1/8-inch arms and 4.3-second 40-yard dash speed.
When Porter was available in the third round of this year's NFL Draft, it was a no-brainer for Carroll and general manager John Spytek to select him with the No. 68 overall pick. He also played a bit of wide receiver in college before switching to the secondary, demonstrating the versatility that the new regime covets.
Porter finally became a starting defensive back for the Cyclones in his sixth season of college football, and he posted a top-10 coverage grade among FBS cornerbacks according to Pro Football Focus. However, the young player could still be an asset for the Raiders on offense if needed.
Darien Porter is willing to be Raiders' version of Travis Hunter
The young cornerback spoke to reporters after the Raiders' rookie minicamp on Friday, and he was asked about the position switch he made in college. Porter was also asked to comment on Jacksonville Jaguars star Travis Hunter, who notably played both wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, and is projected to do so in the NFL as well.
"He’s a special player. It's not easy to do," Porter told reporters. "Playing offense and defense at an elite level, you gotta be pretty special."
Porter was then asked if the Raiders might allow him to do the same thing, given his history of playing both ways at a high level in college.
"We'll see," Porter said with a smile on his face. "It's not up to me. I'll do it, but we'll see."
His focus will obviously be on honing his craft as a cornerback to reach his full potential in the NFL, given his raw ability and limited experience. It sounds like Porter is open to playing some offensive snaps, however, despite his need to improve immensely at corner.
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Fortunately for Porter, he seems to be joining an ideal situation with the Las Vegas Raiders. ESPN's Matt Bowen recently explained why Porter is a great fit for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham's coverage scheme in particular.
"Porter has all the physical tools to develop into a big-time press corner," Bowen wrote. "He is long at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, and he can keep up with wide receivers using his 4.3 speed. But Porter's success won't be limited to man coverage. He can find the ball in zone, which fits under the core coverages of Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham."
It may be several years until the franchise and fan base can fully evaluate what they have in Porter, as the team took him with the understanding that he was going to be a project. However, versatility and competitiveness are core principles of the new regime, and Porter is displaying both of those things early in his tenure with the Silver and Black.