Aug 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll runs out of the tunnel before the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Do the Raiders Have the Next DROY?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Aug 19, 2025 9:00 AM ET

When looking ahead at the various awards the NFL gives to its players each season, it's easy to make predictions on who could win what. There's always a huge market for guessing who the MVP will be before each season begins, and that same excitement goes for all of the incoming rookies.

I believe the Raiders already have the Offensive Rookie of the Year in Ashton Jeanty, a player who will get plenty of opportunities in his rookie season. He's gonna stuff the stat sheet, and there's a reason he's one of the leading candidates for the award before the season has even begun.

However, what if I were to say that, alongside having a strong candidate for OROY next season, they also have the Defensive Rookie of the Year award winner on their roster as well. At least, that's what R.J. White of CBS Sports believes.

White wrote an article going over some of the long shots to win each award for next season, and he believes that Darien Porter of the Raiders has a chance to take home the DROY award. He begins his explanation of why by discussing Porter's opportunities.

Long Shot or a Glimpse of What’s To Come?

"Again, we start with opportunity, and Porter has been working with the Raiders' first-team defense during camp as the third-round rookie competes for a big role out of the gate. He appears to be in the lead for the battle to start outside alongside Eric Stokes, and he'll get plenty of opportunity to prove his chops in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Bo Nix and Justin Herbert", said White.

Porter has steadily increased his production in every preseason game so far, and even if they lost against the San Francisco 49ers, he's shown that he can be a viable starter for them straight out of the gate.

"The question, of course, is how well he'll perform once he's on the field, but coach Pete Carroll has had success with midround cornerbacks before, most recently with Riq Woolen playing his way into the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation in 2022 with six interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown".

Even if Porter gets a lot of reps as a rookie, he'll have to be one of the top corners in football in order to even be in consideration for the award. He'll have to cause a lot of turnovers, as well as being a lockdown defender. Ultimately, while I believe that Porter will be a good player for the Raiders, it's a long shot for a reason.

Go visit our Facebook page to find our daily content, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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

More must-reads: