Many have hailed Mississippi State’s Decamerion Richardson as a steal for the Las Vegas Raiders; does this mean they could have a future starting corner?
Ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, many experts predicted that the Raiders to use their first pick on a defensive back. Luckily, all the highly touted defensive players were available at pick 13. That being said, as everyone knows now, the team decided to go in the offensive direction for their first three picks.
The Raiders’ first defensive pick in the fourth round was Mississippi State’s Decamerion Richardson. The second cornerback spot has been a glaring hole in this defense, and no free agent signings seem to be coming. Is it possible that Richardson is the reason behind this?
Decamerion Richardson’s Collegiate Career
His career is not eye-popping in any way, but he started for a fantastic team. He shared the field with Emmanuel Forbes, who has struggled in the NFL so far. However, how much stock should we put into Forbes’ struggles compared to Richardson’s prospects?
During his tenure at Mississippi State, he did not receive any honors. One shocking statistic is that he never caught an interception during all four years. Nonetheless, he recorded ten pass breakups during his senior season. His tackling production at the cornerback position stands out the most.
After playing essentially only two seasons, he racked up over 177 tackles throughout his career. His first two seasons consisted of him playing more of a backup role.
Raiders Scouting: How Does He Measure Up?
He is clearly an NFL talent, as evidenced by his fourth-round draft selection. He played in the most competitive college football conference, the Southeastern Conference (SEC). What Richardson really lacks is production in the passing game.
According to Pro Football Focus, he was one of the best cornerbacks in college football with an 86.4 overall grade. This may be because he often played deep zone coverage and was not targeted often over the top. His main priority was defending deep routes and securing tackles.
That plays into Richardson’s strengths the most, which is why the Raiders drafted him. Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham has a similar philosophy: force quarterbacks to throw short routes and make the tackle.
He has amazing athleticism, running a 4.3-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and standing at 6-foot-2 inches. However, size-wise, he should look to add more weight to his frame in order to remain a secure tackler in the NFL.
Furthermore, a downside to his length is his inability to break quickly and disrupt passes, which could be why he never had an interception. Additionally, he tends to not be fluid in his backpedal and feet placement. Fortunately, said skills can be developed with adequate coaching.
If Richardson starts for the Raiders, realistically, we won’t expect him to produce interceptions. He will likely continue to efficiently produce secure tackles. He is likely to serve as a backup and receive significant usage on special teams.
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