Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll gestures in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Which Raiders Rookie Stood Out in Week 17

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Jan 1, 2026 6:09 AM ET

There weren't many positives to be taken away from the Las Vegas Raiders getting blown out by the New York Giants at home, other than them getting a real chance at the first overall pick. Outside of that, their effort was pitiful and embarrassing.

Is Fernando Mendoza worth the humiliation of losing by double-digits to the second-worst team in the NFL? That's the question Raider fans kept asking themselves as the game unfolded. In the midst of all this drama with draft positioning, which rookie had a standout performance that went under the radar?

Rookie Team of the Week

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jim Wyman writes for Pro Football Focus, and he constructed a team of the top rookie performers in Week 17. Darien Porter's play and reps have been up and down this season, but his impressive end zone stops earn him a nod on this week's list.

"Porter has seen a significant boost in playing time these last four weeks, playing at least 63 snaps in each with mixed results. Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants was easily his best showing during that stretch, as he tied his career-high with a 76.0 coverage grade. Porter was only targeted once in coverage, and he managed to knock that ball away in the back of the end zone", said Wyman.

Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

I recall that before the season started, Porter was named one of the sleeper picks for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Of course, that isn't how his rookie campaign panned out, but that's the type of player he could be.

He's one of the reasons why the Raiders' secondary won't be as bad as it was this season moving forward. They have a lot to build off of, and with Kyu Blu Kelly having a career year and Jeremy Chinn being one of the best free agent signings for the Raiders, it's clear to see why their future is bright in that regard.

Would like to see a better tackle from Darien Porter, but I do like how he crashes downhill to get involved in the run fit and at least gets a piece of the RB for a short gain #Raiders pic.twitter.com/TD6hGjLTXY
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) December 29, 2025

He's far from perfect, but if he can improve on his tackling and not picking up fouls in coverage, he's going to be a household name for Raider Nation. With one week left in the regular season, I hope he plays their game against the Kansas City Chiefs in its entirety.

After this season, it becomes even harder to excuse some of his rookie mistakes. For the future of their secondary, move him around in coverage and get him in different looks against the Chiefs so he has that experience moving forward.

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

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