2022 Raiders Draft Prospect: CB Roger McCreary

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

Coverage

Playing in the SEC forced McCreary to up his game from the first day. First, his mirror, smoothness and route anticipation jump off the page. Additionally, the confidence also allows him to actually switch off wideouts with the ball in the air. Without wasted movements, the prospect keeps his head and eyes trained on the play. Now, he will fall prey to the perennial cornerback flaw of peeking into the backfield. Expect a technician, not a freaky athlete.

Speed

While he won’t set records at the Combine, McCreary offers good, but not blazing speed. However, he does possess excellent football speed. With his timing and knack for the ball, the former Tiger will play faster than his time. On underneath routes, the prospect drives on the ball, with the ability to undercut the route.

Ball Skills

With no hesitation, McCreary seems most comfortable with the ball in the air. Regardless of pattern or direction, he’ll make a play with later hands and the little nudge that officials won’t see that helps the hand knock the ball away.Six interceptrions suggests decent enough hands.. Ball in flight, vertically, will not scare the former Aubirn standout.

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Tackling

On the boundary, McCreary loves the contact aspect of the game. Diving into the fray with reckless abandon, McCreary will drive the shoulder through the target. More importantly, in order to make the play, he swats away the pitty-pat block attempts of the receivers. At the next level, teams will attempt to run at him. The question is, can he continue to evolve?

Raiders Fit

Can Casey Hayward keep Father Time at bay for another season? Turning 33 in September, the leader of the Raiders’ secondary brought a blend of playmaking and leadership to the young group. Brandon Facyson filled in admirably. However, how does he fit into the next regime? Facyson played well enough in a Cover 3, but questions exist about how he’d fare in a man-based scheme. Nate Hobbs excelled in the slot, so why move him when you don’t need to. Trayvon Mullen, played in five games, due to injury. During his tenure, his inconsistency doesn’t lend it itself to long-term success. Instead, consider Roger McCreary. With lockdown skills and hyperaggressive nature, he fits a myriad of schemes. Sticky coverage regardless of draft position needs immediate addressing. The cornerback room needs a ball-hawking safety. In 2021, the Raiders’ cornerbacks, picked off just four passes. Meanwhile, they surrendered fifteen receiving touchdowns to opponents. In contrast, McCreary can travel, possesses ball ability and the traits that an eventual lead corner could offer.