Darien Porter’s ‘thick skin’ helping him thrive at corner for the Raiders

Raiders cornerback Darien Porter has regained his starting job after a two-week benching, a challenge he says is familiar after a career built on adaptation. The second-year player out of Iowa State lost his spot to Hezekiah Masses following a mid-foot sprain suffered in the Week 1 win over Miami, but returned to the lineup for the Week 5 game against New England. In the last two weeks, opposing quarterbacks are 3 of 8 when targeting Porter, who is allowing a passer rating of 58.5 in coverage this season, according to Pro Football Reference.

First-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak challenged Porter in an April meeting to become more of a leader and reach his potential. "He pushed me to be more of a leader and … to keep striving to reach my potential," Porter said Thursday. "I'm really thankful for that. It's something I do every day, and it doesn't hurt to have a little encouragement along the way." Kubiak said Monday, "I like what he's about," while defensive coordinator Rob Leonard praised Porter's consistency, noting, "He's never down on himself, and he'll be one of the first guys out there at practice today, going through his routine, and I think that's what sticks out about great players. It's just the same."

Porter's path to the NFL required perseverance long before the benching. A track standout who holds the Iowa State record in the 400 meters, he initially played receiver and safety for the Cyclones but saw little defensive action. A depth shortage at cornerback prompted a position switch in the spring before the 2022 season — his fourth year in the program. "Making a position change three years into your college career, you have to have some perseverance to you," Porter said. "Even the position change helped me a lot because you're kind of starting from scratch and just trying to build your way into the player you want to become."

The 25-year-old, selected 68th overall in last year's draft, started 10 games as a rookie and appeared in all 17. He credits his resolve to a childhood spent moving from Memphis to Bettendorf, Iowa, at age 13, where he had to break into established social circles. His father, Lionel, was an NAIA All-American running back at St. Ambrose. Now in his fifth year playing cornerback, Porter says the game is slowing down. "You're not a rookie, so you don't feel as much pressure because you've never seen these looks. You've never seen these players," he said.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal