It goes without saying that the secondary for the Oakland Raiders has been nothing short of a disaster. To make matters worse, rookie cornerback Gareon Conley was sidelined for the entire 2017 NFL season with a shin injury after playing just two games.
However, there is plenty of optimism for his return. Despite the small sample size, cornerbacks coach Rod Woodson is confident in Conley's potential as an elite corner, per SiriusXM NFL Radio:
“I thought [Marshon] Lattimore & [Gareon] Conley were both the top tier guys coming out. Once he's healthy, I think he's going to be a real good player for the Oakland Raiders.”
The praise from Woodson certainly carries plenty of weight. Not only is he one of the greatest defensive backs in league history, but the comparison to his former Ohio State teammate, New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, is a bold one considering his immediate success in the NFL. That said, it seems Conley has made quite the impression on his Hall of Fame coach.
There had been plenty of attention surrounding Oakland's decision to take Conley with the 24th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Needless to say, he had carried some baggage coming into the league amidst some ugly accusations. However, after he had been cleared of all charges in the eyes of both the law and the Raiders' franchise, they went ahead and pulled the trigger on the selection.
Unfortunately, they still have yet to get anything out of Conley after a lingering shin injury ultimately landed him on the injured reserve. However, it is clear that Woodson will be giving him a fair shot at potentially being named the team's No. 1 corner.
Follow Us
Subscribe