Q&A: Raiders rookie cornerback ready to take on expanded role

Raiders rookie cornerback Darien Porter most likely will take on a bigger role in the final four games of the season.

The third-round pick from Iowa State has been splitting reps for much of the season with Kyu Blu Kelly, but Kelly suffered a season-ending knee injury last week against the Broncos.

Porter has shown he is ready. He had one of his most consistent games after Kelly was injured.

Porter sat down with the Review-Journal to discuss his progression, his former college coach leaving for Penn State, and how a loss in a high school track meet drove him to bigger things.

RJ: How ready are you at this point in your rookie season to assume the starting role for the next four games.

Porter: I’m ready. These are the kind of opportunities you hope for. I wish it was under different circumstances. I wish Kyu was still healthy. I wish the best for him in his recovery, but I’ve been preparing to play the whole season.

RJ: What has been your biggest area of growth since you were drafted by the Raiders?

Porter: Just really slowing down the NFL game. Understanding the finer nuances of it. It’s a little different from college in a lot of different aspects, but just being able to pick up on certain things and being able to adjust quickly week to week.

RJ: From the outside, last week looked like your best game. Would you agree with that?

Porter: I think so. I still wanted another play or two out there that I feel like I left out on the field. But I did what I could to put our team in a great position to win, so you have to be happy with that.

RJ: How much does it help your confidence to get those pass breakups Sunday against good receivers?

Porter: It helps a lot. Courtland Sutton has been a great receiver in this league for a long time. So being able to make a couple plays against him, it is a big boost of confidence. But you just have to line back up this week and be ready to do it again.

RJ: You will be going against Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown on Sunday. What are some things you have to worry about against him?

Porter: A little similar to Courtland Sutton in the fact that he’s not quite as tall, but he’s a bigger, stronger receiver. So you have to be able to handle that. I know no one can really run by me, so that’s not really the concern for me. But making sure technique-wise, getting some disruption off the line when you can and disrupting the timing, being able to break up anything that comes your way.

RJ: You attended Bettendorf (Iowa) High School, which unofficially has produced more UFC fighters than any other school, including two UFC Hall of Famers. What is it about that area and did you ever want to fight?

Porter: No. Definitely not (laughing). I have zero interest in competing in the UFC. I don’t know what it is about that part of Iowa. I guess they’re just crazy, because you have to be crazy to do that. That’s not me.

RJ: You won the 400-meter state championship in Iowa as a sophomore and a senior, but you were runner-up as a junior. Does that one haunt you?

Porter: Yes. That’s honestly why I didn’t graduate early and enroll early at Iowa State. I wanted to come back and win the 400 title my senior year. It meant everything to me. I could have very easily (left school). I was set on graduating early and enrolling in that winter semester to participate in spring ball in college. But to not only come back and win, but break the all-time record in the state, it was the culmination of achieving everything I wanted to.

RJ: What were your thoughts last week when you heard your college coach, Matt Campbell, was leaving Iowa State for Penn State?

Porter: I was sad. I was shocked. He had a lot of different opportunities to leave when I was there, and after all those passed and he was still around, I kind of figured he’d be there. But I’m happy for him. Happy for his family. I think they’ll be a great fit at Penn State. They couldn’t have hit more of a home run.

RJ: You are known for your phenomenal special teams work at Iowa State, and now you are making a mark with the Raiders. What makes a good gunner?

Porter: You have to be fast, (and) you just have to keep going through whatever and find a way to make the play.

RJ: Was that attitude something you had to learn or did it come natural?

Porter: I could always handle it. Playing gunner was how I first got playing time. I just had to embrace it. Once you really embrace your role, especially on special teams, you’re going to be fine.

RJ: You lived in Iowa your entire life, and now you’re in Las Vegas. It’s quite different. What are the best things about living here, and what do you miss?

Porter: I don’t miss the weather, I’ll tell you that. It’s cold. I was always cold. So Vegas, I like the weather. There’s a few more things to do here. Obviously, some of the (touristy) things in Vegas kind of lose their luster after you live here a bit, but it’s a bigger city and has everything that comes with that. I like that.

RJ: You might get some cold weather Sunday in Philadelphia.

Porter: We played a couple games in the single digits at Iowa State, so I can handle it.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.