The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t make any splash cornerback signings in free agency but could benefit from selecting one in the middle rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft to add depth. Troy Pride Jr. should have their attention.
Pride Jr. is my ultimate sleeper in this draft. He played receiver and corner in High School, and was solid in his four years with the Fighting Irish while he moonlighted in track.
- 2016: He had five tackles (all solo).
- 2017: 22 tackles (14 solo, eight assisted), two passes defensed with one interception.
- 2018: 47 tackles (37 solo, 10 assisted), one forced fumble, 10 passes defensed and two interceptions.
- 2019: 40 tackles (27 solo, 13 assisted), six passes defensed with one interception.
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Raiders Blog: Pros and Cons to drafting Troy Pride Jr.
Cons
His biggest con will be his lackluster combine performance of 4.40 on the 40-yard dash. He didn’t impress much on his other numbers either, which he was not able to make up for in a Pro Day event. He is not as aggressive as you would want him to be.
Pros
Solid outside corner in zone coverage, speed helps him stay on top in man. Good read and react ability.
Troy Pride Jr, CB, ND-
– Coverage versatility
– Smooth and quick feet
– Click and close
– Hip fluidity
– Scrappy and physical
– FBI/Instincts/Situational awareness
– Smooth transitions
– Route recognition
– Patience in press man#NFLDraft2020 #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/Vi9sFYLieP— Ryder McConville (@RyderM25) April 11, 2020
NFL transition
I believe Pride will excel as an outside corner in the NFL. His speed, read, reaction and tape over compensate for his lack of aggressiveness and combine scores.
Notre Dame CB Troy Pride Jr. may be the biggest draft board riser this week. pic.twitter.com/0cKXwvDb9f
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 23, 2020
Draft selection
His combine and lack of pro day hurt his stock but tape doesn’t lie so this creates a wide selection range for him. This man can go as high as the second round but can also slide to the fourth, or even fifth for those that value combine numbers the most.
Team fit
I have seen him going to the Vikings and Dolphins around the third or fourth but also with the Raider in the third. They could have use him as a return man, a role he did well in his High School days.
Final Thoughts
I loved watching Troy Pride Jr. playing with the Fighting Irish and believe he will have a bright NFL future. He’s the track star Stanford Routt was but with Nnamdi Asomugha’s awareness, that’s a nice combo. Here’s another shot of him at the Senior Bowl, this time with a pick and small return.
Troy Pride Jr. interception! â˜˜ï¸ pic.twitter.com/jTwOQXo6vK
— Notre Dame Fighting Irish (@Insidetheirish) January 25, 2020
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