One glance at the Silver & Black’s Week 1 depth chart, you can most definitely see Pete Carroll’s influence at defensive back. And, for better or worse, we’re going to find out how the Pete Prerequisites works out for the Las Vegas Raiders cornerback room.
That position group not only highlights the head coach’s desired physical traits — at least 6 feet tall with at least 32-inch arm length — but is a reflection of the comPETE mantra Carroll has instilled in Las Vegas. While some may find his true competition as nothing more than “coach speak” or even corny, the initial pecking order released by the team proves — at least for now — it wasn’t just talk.
The trio of Raiders starting cornerbacks on the depth chart: Eric Stokes, Kyu Blu Kelly, and Darnay Holmes. While it lacks positional designations, it’s a safe bet that Stokes and Kelly — who stand 6-foot-1 and 6-feet with 32 3/4 and 32 inch arms, respectively — are the outside corners while Holmes — 5-foot-10 with 29 1/2 inch arms — is likely set to remain in the slot, something he’s accustomed heading into his sixth season in the league.
Decamerion Richardson is listed behind Stokes while rookie Darien Porter backs up Kelly. There’s no reserve charted behind Holmes. Although, Las Vegas does have undrafted free agent Greedy Vance (5-foot-9, 177 pounds, and 30 1/8 inch arms) on its 17-man practice squad.
Carroll admits the secondary is young, but he has no qualms giving youngsters gameday snaps. So much so, we’ll likely see players rotate in and out to give the Raiders matchup ability in the regular season opener at the New England Patriots this Sunday. The road trip provides an ample litmus test for Las Vegas pass defense that has plenty to prove.
Patriot Games
Boasting veteran Stefon Diggs (heading into 11th year, 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns in his career so far) along with rising talents in Kayshon Boutte (heading into third year, 608 yards and three touchdowns so far) and DeMario Douglas (also heading into third season, 1,182 yards and three touchdowns), New England’s top three receivers presents a good challenge for Las Vegas cornerbacks.
Diggs, age 31, is coming off a 2024 campaign that saw him play in only eight games (all starts) with the Houston Texans. He hauled in 47 passes for 496 yards and three scores as he appears to be entering the domain that current Raiders veteran wideout Amari Cooper is in: Career rebound. New England is hoping the route savvy Diggs can become a productive security blanket for second-year quarterback Drake May.
Boutte and Douglas, represent sixth-round finds for the Patriots as they were taken just 23 picks from one another — Boutte at 187th overall, Douglas at 210th in the 2023 NFL Draft. Boutte caught 43 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns last season while Douglas — who operates in the slot — snared 66 passes for 621 yards and three touchdowns.
Diggs — at 6-feet, 191 pounds — and Boutte — 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds — are expected to play outside with Douglas — 5-foot-8 and 192 pounds — working on the inside which will present unique challenges to the Raiders corners. In reserve, New England has veteran Mack Hollins (a former Raider who stands 6-foot-4 and 221 pounds) and 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams (5-foot-11 and 190 pounds).
Savvy vs. Speed
Stokes, Kelly, Porter, and Richardson have the arm length and size to get physical and if they’re are able to jam Diggs and Boutte on the outside, that helps disrupt timing and helping give Las Vegas’ pass rush time to get to Maye. Inside, Holmes has the task of shadowing Douglas, and if he’s able to mirror and stick, it shrinks Maye’s passing window further.
Douglas, with 4.40 40-yard dash speed at the NFL Combine, is a shifty target who is afforded freedom to operate out of the slot and adjust routes according to the defense that’s played against him. Holmes is no slouch in terms of speed clocking in a 4.48 time at the combine, but he most show he can shadow the elusive Douglas.
And that’s just coverage.
Las Vegas cornerbacks will also need to showcase sound tackling technique if/when New England receivers catch the ball and get dirty in run defense, too. On the plus side, if Stokes, Porter, or Richardson do get toasted initially in coverage or misses a tackle, that trio has unadulterated pure makeup speed as they ran under 4.40 times (4.30 for Porter, 4.34 for Richardson, and 4.38 for Stokes). Kelly is the outlier with a 4.52 timed speed, in this regard.
Expect Patriots offensive coordinator (and former Raiders head coach and play caller) Josh McDaniels to test the Raiders secondary early and often in the opener.
Where things will get wholly intriguing is if/when Las Vegas deploys the big nickel alignment, that so far, features safety Jeremy Chinn (6-foot-3 and 220 pounds) dropping into the slot to play close to the line of scrimmage. Even though he’s a much bigger defensive back, Chinn offers plenty of straight-line speed clocking in a 4.45 40 time at the combine in 2020. The athleticism and size profile gives him man cover skills out the slot, but it may be a precarious proposition to see him matched up by (in comparison) diminutive Douglas out of the slot.
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