Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa St defensive back Darien Porter (DB25) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images Tanner Pearson-Imagn Images

Raiders Sign Rookie CB Darien Porter

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Brock Vierra | Last updated May 13, 2025 3:11 PM ET

It's official, the Las Vegas Raiders have signed third-round selection Darien Porter. Porter, a cornerback from Iowa State, looks to be the next star defensive back in Silver and Black as he enters Patrick Graham's defense, a defense with some of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

"Porter, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound cornerback was selected with the 68th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft." Per the Raiders Press Release. "He played six seasons (2019-24) at Iowa State and appeared in a school-record 64 games and tallied 51 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and six passes defensed."

"As a senior in 2024, he earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors after playing in 12 games and posting a career-high 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, one blocked field goal and one blocked punt. His two blocked kicks in 2024 were tied for the fourth most in the FBS and his five career blocked kicks are the most by any player in Big 12 history."

"Porter attended Bettendorf (Iowa) High School where he played football and participated in track and field. He was a two-time all-district pick and first-team all-state selection as a kick returner his senior year. As a senior, he recorded 27 catches for 440 yards and seven touchdowns while also rushing for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Porter won the Class 4A state championship in the 400 meters in 2017 and 2019."

A known winner, Porter was a member of Iowa State's two best teams in the last 100 years, as he used his track speed and solid hands to help the Cyclones make two Big 12 title games, win the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, and helped defeat arch rival Iowa twice in his career.

Pete Carroll has a history of turning former wide receivers who became defensive backs in college into NFL superstars.

“Well, you go back through the years, we drafted a lot of corners over the years. And we've always looked for guys that are really fast and guys that are really long and tall because of the style of the way we coach them." Said Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. "And we've had some pretty good ones, you know. The one thing I think about Darien, he's a lot like Richard Sherman was."

"Richard Sherman was a wide receiver at Stanford until [Jim] Harbaugh kicked him over to the other side of the ball, and he had one year playing corner. There's a lot of similarities in the makeup of these two kids. Richard's history is pretty bright, so I have really high expectations for how this works out with Darien, and he kind of fits the mold.”

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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