TRANSACTION: Selected by the Raiders in the third round (80th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft, April 30, 2021.
CAREER: Entering his third season in the NFL after being drafted by the Raiders in the third round (80th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft…Has appeared in 25 games (13 starts) over his first two seasons, totaling 113 tackles (62 solo), two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and six special teams tackles…Despite playing in only eight games (eight starts) of the 2022 season before being placed on the reserve/injured list, posted a career-high 74 tackles (38), one tackle for loss and one pass defensed…As a rookie in 2021, played in all 17 games with five starts, finishing with 39 tackles (24 solo) and one pass defensed.
2022: Started in the first eight games of the season before being placed on the reserve/injured list with an arm injury…Posted a career-high 74 tackles (38 solo), which ranked sixth in the NFL through Week 8…Added one pass defensed…(9/11) at LAC: Tallied seven tackles (four) and saw action on special teams...(9/18) vs. Ari.: Led the team with a career-high 16 tackles (six), his second-career performance of 10+ tackles...(9/25) at Ten.: Finished second on the team with seven total tackles (four solo) and added one pass defensed...(10/2) vs. Den.: Recorded eight tackles (three), bringing his season total to 38 tackles on the year, the most on the team and tied for eighth-most in the NFL through Week 4...(10/10) at KC.: Led the team with 10 tackles (three solo), notching his second game on the year with 10+ tackles...(10/23) vs. Hou.: Led the team with 11 total tackles (six) and one tackle for loss, his third performance of 10+ tackles this season, tied for eighth-most in the league...(10/30) at NO.: Tallied a team-high 14 tackles (nine)...(11/6) at Jac.: Recorded one tackle before injuring his arm, an injury that would sideline him for the remainder of the season.
2021: Played in all 17 games with five starts as a rookie, finishing with 39 tackles (24 solo) and one pass defensed...(9/13) vs. Bal.: Made his NFL debut, appearing exclusively on special teams...(9/19) at Pit.:Appeared exclusively on special teams in the win...(9/26) vs. Mia.:Saw action in a reserve role on defense, recording one tackle...Also appeared on special teams...(10/4) at LAC: Appeared exclusively on special teams...(10/10) vs. Chi.:Saw action exclusively on special teams...(10/17) at Den.:Appeared exclusively on special teams...(10/24) vs. Phi.:Saw action exclusively on special teams in the win...(11/7) at NYG:Appeared exclusively on special teams...(11/14) vs. KC:Saw limited action on defense and contributed one tackle on special teams...(11/25) at Dal.:Saw extensive action on special teams...(12/5) vs. Was.:Finished with a career-high 10 tackles (seven)...Added one stop on special teams...(12/12) at KC: Finished second on the team with nine tackles (four)...Added one stop on special teams...(12/20) at Cle.:Finished with four tackles (two) in the win...(12/26) vs. Den.:Recorded one tackle on defense...(1/2/22) at Ind.:Led the team with nine tackles (nine), adding one pass defensed...(1/9/22) vs. LAC:Recorded five tackles (two) on defense, while adding one stop and one fumble recovery on special teams...Postseason: (1/15/22) at Cin.:Finished second on the team with eight tackles (three) in his first postseason appearance.
COLLEGE: Spent five years at Virginia Tech from 2016-20, appearing in 51 games with 39 starts…Finished his collegiate career with 206 tackles (117 solo), 0.5 sacks, six INTs, 17 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…In 2020, earned first-team All-ACC after starting nine games and recoding 55 tackles (32), four INTs and one fumble recovery…In 2019, started all 13 games at free safety and finished second on the team with a career‐best 84 tackles (42)...Also registered one INT, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery which was returned 98 yards for a TD...In 2018, started all 11 games in which he played and totaled 55 tackles (35), two passes defensed and one fumble recovery…In 2017, appeared in four games and totaled eight tackles, one INT and three passes defensed…In 2016, played in all 14 games and recorded four tackles and one forced fumble…Majored in consumer studies.
PERSONAL: Attended Mount Tabor High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. …Rated as a four‐star recruit by ESPN and the 172nd player in the 2016 ESPN Top 300…Ranked the No. 9 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 22 wide receiver in the country by ESPN…Rivals.com listed him No. 70 by position and No. 20 overall in the state…Scout.com ranked him the third‐best position player in the state and No. 107 in the country, while 247Sports.com listed him at No. 178 by position and the 50th‐best player in the state…Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolina's…Three‐time Central‐Piedmont 4A all‐conference selection…Had 10 TDs, averaging over 21 yards per reception, and added one INT as a senior… Averaged 18 yards a catch for more than 700 yards as a junior…Earned All‐Northwest Conference honors as a senior.
ADDITIONAL STATISTICS: Special Teams Tackles – 6 in 2021; NFL Totals: 6.
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS: TACKLES: Total – 16, 9/18/22 vs. Ari. Solo – 9, 10/30/22 at NO. Passes Defensed – 1, two times; last: 9/25/22 at Ten. Tackles for loss – 1, two times; last: 10/23/22 vs. Hou.
