Klint Kubiak isn’t giving up on a second-year player anytime soon, and he’s making sure everyone knows it
The Las Vegas Raiders drafted Darien Porter last season, and now they expect him to make a big jump.
The Las Vegas Raiders are banking on cornerback Darien Porter taking a major step forward in his second NFL season.
Porter, a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, spent his rookie year developing as a raw but athletic cornerback prospect. Now, the Raiders coaching staff has made it clear they expect the former Iowa State product to ascend into a bigger role during the 2026 campaign.
Klint Kubiak speaks on Darien Porter’s development
Kubiak expressed confidence in Porter’s trajectory during a recent media session.
“He’s an ascending player that we are counting on, and he’s just going to keep getting more confident. He’s got a great coach in Joe Woods and a great coach in Matt that’s preparing him for the season to come,” Kubiak said.
Porter was considered a Pete Carroll-type pick when Las Vegas selected him last year. He fits the mold Carroll has historically preferred at cornerback: long, tall, lanky, fast, and athletic. The project label was never a secret, though. Porter didn’t start playing cornerback until college. He entered Iowa State as a wide receiver, so the technical side of the position has always been a work in progress.
Porter’s rookie season numbers weren’t terrible
When you look at what Porter did in his first NFL season, the numbers tell a reasonable story. He played 295 coverage snaps and was targeted 28 times, allowing just 16 completions for 231 yards. He did not give up a single touchdown during the regular season. The intended air yards against him totaled 426, and he allowed just 231 yards on 21 catchable targets. He drew 2 defensive pass interference calls for a total of 35 penalty yards.
The beginning of the year was rough, and most people recognized that. But as the season progressed, the tape got better and better. By the end of the year, Porter looked like a different player than the one who struggled early on.
The competition at cornerback in training camp
Right now, Porter is battling for first-team reps with Hezekiah Masses, the rookie fifth-round pick cornerback. It does feel like Porter has the upper hand in that competition. He started in the first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals, though it wasn’t a perfect outing.
He gave up a touchdown to wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. on a play that didn’t look great. Other than that, he hasn’t been terrible. That starting spot isn’t set in stone, but the coaching staff’s public confidence in Porter suggests they view him as the frontrunner.
The big picture for Darien Porter
The Raiders are counting on Porter to make a significant jump this season. However, if that leap doesn’t come in year 2, expectations shift to year 3. Considering how little time he has spent playing the position relative to most NFL corners, patience remains part of the equation.
Porter has the kind of potential that comes from elite athleticism. If he can put the technical pieces together, he will be a good football player. That said, it remains a big if and a big ask — and the Raiders know it.
