2022 Raiders Draft Prospect: CB Roger McCreary

Originally posted on Full Press Coverage
By Terrance Biggs | Last updated 12/22/21

2022 Raiders Draft Prospect Profile
Name: Roger McCreary
Position: Cornerback
School: Auburn
Height: 6′
Weight: 190 pounds
Stats

Coverage

During his time on the plains, the prospect covered some of the top receivers in the nation, including the ones at Alabama. McCreary did not fold and stayed hip to hip with elite talent. Zone feels like his strong suit with the ability to play off but still close with enough speed to become a factor on targets.

Ball Skills

By far, his best attribute. McCreary’s vision, in combination with his arm length and timing, finds a way. At Auburn, he knocked away thirty passing while picking off six. Not to mention, the surety of his hands that can make plays on tips and overthrows. On top of that his can High point the ball to knock it away.

Speed

In both aspects of this trait, the prospect flashes the knack for being in the play. That is a result of his ability to either drive on the ball or stick with the wideouts. The lone hiccup? The fluidity in maintaining some speed when dealing with a double move.

Tackling

The prospect shows the willingness to hit but lacks the proverbial rocks in his pockets to jolt the target. However, half the battle remains to show the will. The former Tiger does show up and attempts to wrap the ballcarrier. To his credit, McCreary does not bring a lazy approach to the stop. Pair him with a technician as a position and he will see a difference.

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Raiders Fit

Now, without a doubt, the Raiders employ two-thirds of a decent cornerback rotation. First, veteran Casey Hayward enjoyed a great 2021 campaign. He did not surrender big plays and played with disciplined aggressiveness. Next, Nate Hobbs, a rookie find from Illinois, thrived in the slot. Meanwhile, the problem exists on the other side. Trayvon Mullen, after three seasons, does not appear to be the consistent answer at the corner. When he’s right, Mullen does an effective job on coverage. However, his ball skills and grabby nature hurts the defense. Too often, Mullen plays corner with his hands and not his feet. With McCreary, the Raiders would see a young corner that closes well while maintaining his ability to make a play on the ball. The Raiders need as many difference-makers in the secondary as they can find. Under Hayward’s tutelage, Roger McCreary improves his depth and fine-tunes his approach to coverage. With his ball skills, McCreary could open eyes at the next level.
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This article first appeared on Full Press Coverage and was syndicated with permission.

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