Looking at a few CBs who the Raiders head coach might be interested in during the middle rounds of the draft
Whether it was Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner during the Legion of Boom days or more recently with Riq Woolen, new Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll liked to stack his defense with long-armed cornerbacks during his time with the Seattle Seahawks. More specifically, Carroll had an affinity for corners with 32-inch arms or more.
With the 2025 NFL Draft just a few weeks away and the Raiders presumtively in the cornerback market, what prospects at the position fit Carroll’s “type”? Below is a look at the corners who measured in with at least 32-inch arms during the NFL Combine.
All draft projections are via NFL Mock Draft Database and as of March 31.
Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
Draft projection: 2nd round (40th overall)
Arm length: 32⅜”
Thomas is the highest profile prospect of the bunch, teetering on the first-round category. He only snagged one interception over the last two years, but the former Seminole’s long arms helped him rackup 14 passes defended during that timeframe. He also had a strong performance at this year’s Senior Bowl. A 4.58-second 40-yard dash time brings up questions about Thomas’ long speed, but he does have traits to be effective in press and zone coverages, according to Bleacher Report’s Cory Giddings.
“Though he has shown decent man skills; his size, length, and physicality make him an appealing fit for press and zone-heavy schemes, where his ability to disrupt routes and contest passes will be maximized,” Giddings wrote. “While his technique and consistency in both the run and pass games need improvement, Thomas’ athletic traits and competitive mentality provide a solid foundation for growth. With refinement, he has the potential to become a valuable contributor in an NFL secondary.”
Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
Draft projection: 2nd round (39th overall)
Arm length: 32⅝”
A torn ACL in September limited Revel to just three games this past season and will likely keep him out of the first round later this month. However, he still managed to come up with two interceptions, including a pick six, during his limited time on the field in 2024 and is a year removed from surrendering just 250 yards in 12 games, per Pro Football Focus. How the former Pirate’s medicals check out will be a big factor, but NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein thinks he has the potential to be a starter in the NFL soon.
“Big, long and fast are the physical descriptors that stand out for the East Carolina corner,” Zierlein wrote. “Revel is leggy when matching press release but he’s disruptive once he gets his hands on the wideout. He plays upright in man coverage, tends to allow small pockets of separation due to his high center of gravity and still needs improvement when it comes to finding and defending the deep ball, despite his ability to stay in phase with vertical routes. He has ideal length and good vision from zone, and he should continue to improve in that coverage with more experience. Revel suffered a torn ACL in September, but his measurables, explosiveness and upside give him a good chance to become an early starter.”
Darien Porter, Iowa State
Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire
Draft projection: 2nd round (59th overall)
Arm length: 33⅛”
The combine gave Porter’s draft stock a major boost as he measured in with the longest arms and had the second-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.30 seconds) among cornerbacks. Any defensive coordinator would be happy to worth with that type of length and speed in the secondary, especially considering the former Cyclone is a converted wide receiver that switched sides of the ball three years ago. Being an older prospect with only one season of starting experience is a tough combination, but Zierlein outlined how Porter can develop into a successful NFL corner.
“Sixth-year senior with elite traits and special teams talent but only one year of starting experience at cornerback,” Zierlein wrote. “Porter’s rep total is heavy on zone coverages but he has the athleticism, burst and speed to handle more man coverage. He has excellent zone awareness with the twitch and ball skills to expand his sphere of influence. He uses his length to shade downfield throws but needs to get stronger to improve his press, his contest and his tackling in run support. More schooling is needed as a pattern-matcher but his athletic profile and instant impact on special teams should create more confidence in projecting Porter’s continued ascension as a CB2/CB3.”
Zah Frazier, UTSA
Draft projection: 4th round (128th overall)
Arm length: 32⅞”
UTSA produced Woolen for Carroll a few years ago, so could the Roadrunners have another cornerback waiting for the head coach? Frazier is cut from a similar cloth as Woolen, combining long arms with excellent speed, clocking a 4.36-second 40 in Indianapolis. That combined with six interceptions this past fall gives him a high ceiling at the next lever, per The 33rd Team’s Kyle Crabbs.
“This is not an overly physical coverage player, but he has elite recovery speed, elite length, and very good ball-tracking skills to hunt down the football in the air against aggressive quarterbacks who want to let it fly,” Crabbs wrote. “Frazier has the required burst when playing overtop of receivers and routes to drive and attack in front of his face, but once he can play in the trail position, he has seemingly effortless gas that allows him to work into the catch point and disrupt throws.”
Tommi Hill, Nebraska
Draft projection: 5th round (142nd overall)
Arm length: 32⅞”
Hill had a rough year in 2024 as he battled plantar fasciitis and had to miss several games throughout the campaign. However, he had a strong showing the year prior with four interceptions and nine passes defended to get on the NFL’s radar and become a quality corner at the next level, according to The Draft Network’s Daniel Harms.
“His injury in 2024 forced him to play tentatively, and he didn’t activate against the run or downhill as quickly as he did in 2023, but the tools are there,” Harms wrote. “His deep and recovery speed also took a hit, but early in the season, he was flying around making plays against Colorado. Although he took a step back due to injury, Hill is an NFL corner, from body type to football IQ, and he possesses the tools to get even better in the NFL.”