Cornerback: T.J. Carrie vs. Keith McGill
Despite his history of injuries, D.J. Hayden is penciled in as Oakland's No. 1 cornerback for the upcoming season. If he can stay healthy—and given his first two years in the NFL, that's a big "if"—he's a lock to start. But who will start opposite Hayden remains a question. With no significant additions at the position either in free agency or through the draft, the competition comes down to T.J. Carrie and Keith McGill.
The Candidates
----------- Height Weight Age Exp. and Games Played
T.J. Carrie 6'0" 204 24 2 Seasons 13 Games
Keith McGill 6'3" 211 26 2 Seasons 12 Games
Carrie: While the national media hasn't paid much attention, T.J. Carrie's career is turning into something of a fairy tale NFL story. Drafted in the seventh round of the 2014 draft out of Ohio University, he was brought in primarily as a return specialist. While he played cornerback in college, he wasn't expected to contribute much in that role. at the next level.
However, Carrie began to show as early as offseason camps that he had something to offer as a cornerback. He played in 13 games as a rookie. He did some special teams work, but he played mostly as a cornerback. Injuries to Tarell Brown and Carlos Rogers forced Carrie into the starting lineup, and he played surprisingly well. So well, in fact, that the Raiders felt comfortable not adding any potential starters at cornerback through free agency.
McGill: While Carrie made a name for himself in 2014, it was actually fellow rookie McGill that was expected to be the young cornerback to pair with Hayden. Projected by some to go as high as the second round, concerns regarding a shoulder injury dropped McGill to the fourth round, where Oakland picked him up.
At 6'3", McGill embodies the new NFL cornerback. However, even at 26 years of age, he's still learning not just the NFL game, but his role as a cornerback as well. He played safety for part of his college career before moving to cornerback. He's also expected to play press-man coverage with Oakland, something he didn't have to do prior to entering the NFL. He played in 12 games as a rookie, but his snaps came mostly on special teams.
Projected Starter: Carrie
Even after Carrie began to see more reps as a cornerback, he was expected to play in the slot. Injuries forced him to the outside, and he was able to hold his own relatively well.
This forced playing time gives Carrie a huge advantage for a couple of reasons. One, he earned valuable experience playing against top NFL wide receivers. Two, he played well, earning the confidence of the players around him and of the coaching staff.
The ideal scenario for the Raiders might still be to eventually have McGill develop into the No. 2 cornerback role and to move Carrie to the slot. But for now, Carrie is more experienced and is a proven NFL cornerback by comparison. He's the clear option to start alongside Hayden