With so much riding on the line for the Las Vegas Raiders and their Patrick Graham-led defense, can fourth-year cornerback Nate Hobbs bounce back this season?
It wasn’t that long ago that many felt Hobbs would be a foundational piece for the Silver and Black. Back in 2021, Hobbs had an outstanding rookie campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, Hobbs sported an 80.1 grade on defense. A closer look reveals that he impressed thoroughly, with a coverage grade of 78.0 as well. The following season (2022), saw Hobbs regress slightly—that same coverage grade dropped to 57.1. Hobbs allowed 622 yards in pass coverage, with five touchdowns counted against him.
However, the situation was far from dire. For example, Hobbs had his lowest allowed completion percentage with 69.9—a steady decrease from the two years prior, which were 75.3 and 82.3. When Hobbs stays in the slot, he’s about as special a player as the Raiders currently have. Hobbs was ranked as one of the top players at the position not that long ago—if the Raiders want to build off of their success in 2023, they’ll let him patrol the inside.
Is Raiders CB Nate Hobbs poised for greatness this season?
Speaking of PFF, Bradley Locker recently provided a list of “bounce back candidates” for each NFL team. It should come as no surprise that Hobbs was his choice for the Silver and Black team.
“The Raiders got a lot of good production from several returning offensive players, and with limited defensive talent beyond the defensive line, they’re a tough pick for this exercise. But Hobbs is a viable candidate.”
Locker went on to mention that, despite struggling the last two years, Hobbs still has plenty of potential based on his phenomenal rookie season. At the same time, the emergence of Jack Jones in the second half of last season might provide some hope. General manager Tom Telesco also did a commendable job of infusing more youth at cornerback, drafting Decamerion Richardson. We also have Jakorian Bennett, who’ll look to come into his own, hopefully starter material.
If all this plays out in Hobbs’ favor, 2024 might be special for the Illinois product.
*Top Photo: Getty Images