Ahead of 2024 Training Camp, Raiders.com is previewing each position group and evaluating the players that could make up the 53-man roster. It's time to take a deep dive on the team's secondary.

New players

M.J. Devonshire, Woo Governor, Decamerion Richardson, Phalen Sanford, Ja’Quan Sheppard, Trey Taylor, Rayshad Williams

At the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this year, Antonio Pierce said he believed the defensive backs were the deepest position group in the 2024 NFL Draft. His inclination resulted in the Raiders drafting three players for the secondary: Decamerion Richardson, Trey Taylor and M.J. Devonshire.

Richardson, a fourth-rounder from Mississippi State, comes with a lot of upside at cornerback due to his athletic and physical traits. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder has prototypical length to cover outside and finished with the second-fastest 10-yard split (1.48) and third-fastest 40-yard dash (4.34) of any cornerback at the Combine – with NFL Next Gen Stats ranking him as the most athletic cornerback prospect at the event. During OTAs and minicamp, he's been one of the few rookies, alongside Brock Bowers, to see a mix of first and second team reps.

"[H]e's got a lot of potential," General Manager Tom Telesco said after drafting Richardson. "I wouldn't call him necessarily a project because he was a two-year starter in the SEC, but he does have some work to do at the position. But he also fits as far as he can make an impact on special teams with his size, his speed and he's an excellent tackler. Usually hard to find bigger corner that can really run that are actually really good tacklers as well."

Taylor and Devonshire were drafted in the seventh round. Taylor could potentially turn into a huge steal for the Silver and Black coming off an exceptional senior season with the Air Force where he notched 74 total tackles, four pass deflections and three interceptions. He won the 2023 Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the best defensive back in the nation, and is the first Thorpe Award recipient in the academy's history.

Devonshire was named Second-Team All-ACC twice at Pittsburgh as a return specialist and as a cornerback. He totaled four pick-sixes and 30 pass deflections throughout his collegiate career along with averaging nearly 10 yards per punt return in 2022.

The rest of the new additions to the secondary are rounded out with UDFA signings: Woo Governor from Northern Iowa; Phalen Sanford from Nebraska; Rayshad Williams, who was college teammates with Tyree Wilson at Texas Tech; and Ja'Quan Sheppard, a 2022 First Team All-AAC selection at Cincinnati before transferring to Maryland for his senior season.

Returning players

Cornell Armstrong, Jakorian Bennett, Marcus Epps, Brandon Facyson, Jaydon Grant, Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones, Tre’von Moehrig, Isaiah Pola-Mao, Chris Smith II, Sam Webb

Tre'von Moehrig and Nate Hobbs have evolved into the top dogs of the Raiders secondary as they go into their fourth season as starters. The two 2021 draft classmates quickly became starters after arriving to Las Vegas and haven't looked back. And honestly, this upcoming season could be their best to date.

Moehrig, the former Jim Thorpe Award winner from TCU, has become a vital piece on the back end of the field, reaching career highs in total tackles (83), pass deflections (eight) and interceptions (three) in 2023. It's also worth noting he was responsible for 20 defensive stops last year, according to Pro Football Focus.

Hobbs showed versatility all over the secondary at nickel and outside cornerback with 86 total tackles and seven pass deflections, despite missing four games in 2023.

"Nate is the key that unlocks our defense," said cornerbacks coach Ricky Manning Jr. "That nickel spot is very special, that star spot is very special. Being able to play inside and outside is a unique characteristic to have. ... That's what Nate Hobbs is, that's what the star position has become. He's the key to unlock our defense and he's great at it."

Marcus Epps and Jack Jones are two more returning DBs poised to regain their starting jobs. Epps, the former Philadelphia Eagles safety, has made a name for himself being simply being available in big moments. He hasn't missed a game in the past two seasons, playing 95 percent on all defensive snaps since 2022. He's also compiled nine pass deflections within that span.

Jones came onto the scene in a big way for the Silver and Black in 2023. He was signed off waivers midseason and in seven games with Las Vegas, he totaled four pass deflections and two highlight reel pick-sixes that payed dividends in divisional victories against the Los Angeles Chargers and eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

"That dude has some stuff in his legs that you just don't see," Manning said. "I'm watching drills and I'm like, 'He covered those five yards in like two steps,' so he got some explosion stuff. He's a ball guy, which I love. I love guys that take away the ball. He can really do some special things. Once he locks in and he focuses, that dude can be pretty good."

Competing for the starting cornerback job opposite of Jack Jones are Brandon Facyson and Jakorian Bennett, both of which have experience as starters for the Raiders. Facyson was signed by Las Vegas off the Chargers practice squad in 2021, and he went on to lead the team in pass deflections (13). After a year with the Indianapolis Colts, he returned to the Silver and Black in 2023, but ultimately only appeared in three games due to injury. Bennett, a 2023 fourth-round pick from Maryland, began his season as a starter before injuries and rookie growing pains diminished his role.

Several coaches including senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan and safeties coach Gerald Alexander have praised third-year safety Isaiah Pola-Mao this offseason. They believe he's developing at a fast rate that could result in more opportunities in 2024. The former UDFA from the University of Southern California totaled 14 solo tackles, a sack and an interception last season.

Sam Webb, Chris Smith II, Jaydon Grant and Cornell Armstrong round out the remaining defensive backs returning to the roster. Webb, who made the 53-man roster as a UDFA in 2022 with Pola-Mao, started three games a rookie before spending the majority of 2023 on the practice squad. Smith, a two-time national champion at Georgia, found a role on special teams as a rookie, appearing in 12 games. Grant, the son of former NBA power forward Brian Grant, and Armstrong were on the practice squad in 2023.