Combine Day 3: Johnson talks Carroll, DL and LBs hit the field

Top cornerback talked about his meeting with the Raiders while the front seven workout

INDIANAPOLIS — There were no insider altercations on Day 3 of the NFL Combine (well, at least not yet), and I made sure to stay clear of any local Starbucks as that’s apparently a contentious coffee shop in these parts…

On that note, the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Vincent Bonsignore reported that there is no potential tampering issue regarding the Las Vegas Raiders’ minority owner Tom Brady meeting with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford since the Rams permitted Stafford to seek a trade.

Beyond the quarterback news and reporter scuffles, the third day of the combine is an important one for the Raiders since the team has several needs on defense. The defensive backs spoke to the media while the defensive linemen and linebackers hit the field for their workouts. So, let’s dive into how the day unfolded.

Cornerbacks

Las Vegas could use a shutdown cornerback and one of the team’s best options in the draft is Michigan’s Will Johnson. Behind Travis Hunter, Johnson is widely considered the second-best corner in the draft class after blanketing receivers in 2023 and recording two pick-sixes in six games last season.

However, some have called the former Wolverine’s long speed into question as a potential issue at the next level. When asked about that chatter, he had a great reply: “Have you ever seen someone run away from me?” The film backs up that response as you’d be hard-pressed to find many examples of him getting beaten deep.

The Raiders appear to be interested in Johnson, as he talked about meeting head coach Pete Carroll at the podium in Indianapolis as well as breaking down a few elements of his game.

Outside of the first round, another potential option for the Silver and Black’s defensive backfield is Trey Amos from Ole Miss. Amos is a long corner who can run, which fits Carroll’s profile at the position. On Thursday, he talked about becoming more physical and his preparation.

Also fitting Carroll’s profile for cornerbacks, Iowa State’s Darian Porter should be on Las Vegas’ radar and was a standout during last month’s Senior Bowl. I got a chance to ask Porter what separates him from other corners in this year’s draft class and about how he uses his long arms to his advantage.

Azareye’h Thomas from Florida State is another name to know ahead of draft weekend as another long-armed cornerback. Thomas was impressive during his media session, being well-spoken while discussing his game, preparation and working through the Seminole’s tough 2-10 season.

Safeties

Staying in the defensive backfield, it’s been well-documented that the Raiders could use some help at safety with Tre’von Moehrig and Marcus Epps about to hit free agency. Georgia’s Malaki Starks is one of the front office’s top options for replacing Moerhig and/or Epps.

Starks is a versatile coverage defender who can fill the center field role or cover the slot, as outlined in Silver and Black Pride’s recent film breakdown. The Georgia product was asked about this skill set and how it can impact a defense while also chiming in on guarding tight end Brock Bowers.

It’s hard to miss Nicholas Emmanwori from South Carolina as he’s listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. Emmanwori also shows incredible athleticism on film, which should shine through during tomorrow’s workout, allowing him to play multiple roles on defense as a versatile safety. He brought up his man coverage skills when asked about what sets him apart and attributes that to his background as a cornerback.

Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts is a mid-round safety option for the Raiders and met with the club during the combine. Watts recapped his meeting below while mentioning that tight end Michael Mayer is one of his good friends, and he’s interested in the opportunity to be teammates with Mayer again in Las Vegas.

On a similar note, Malachi Moore out of Alabama also met with the Raiders and is a potential mid-round option. Moore shined some light on his conversation with the team’s brass and dove into what separates him in this year’s draft class.

Defensive line and Linebackers

The workouts for the defensive linemen and linebackers will begin at 12:00 p.m. PST and are scheduled to run until 5:30 p.m. Be sure to check back and see who stood out, as S&BP will update this section after the workouts end.