Rising Raiders Defender is Ready to Take the Next Step

One member of the Las Vegas Raiders is ready to shine under Pete Carroll's leadership.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Pete Carroll on radio row during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders added several new players and coaches this offseason. While many of those new additions are expected to have a significant impact for the Raiders, they have several returning players who are expected to do so as well.

One of those players is safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, who enters the season as the team's starting safety for the first time in his career. Following minicamp noted that having the offseason to fully prepare for the role does not change much for him.

“I don't think it changes anything. I think it's more of, for me, I want to earn that starting role. Like last year, I was kind of shoved into that role by default. But I want to earn that starting role. I want to earn the trust with the guys, the coaches. So, like I said, this is a new defense. Nothing last year matters. So, it's a new start for me, new start for everybody else. That's where I'm starting," Pola-Mao said.

The veteran safety noted his confidence in the rest of the Raiders' defensive backfield. As the safety, Pola-Mao explained how being knowledgeable on the defense has helped things slow down for him on the field. This should help

“I mean, you got to know who you're working with. If it's a rookie out there, you got to understand he's kind of surviving out there. Or you got a vet like E-Stokes [Eric Stokes], who's been there and been in big games. So, you got to understand who you're working with. And as long as you understand the entire defense, I think it kind of slows everything down for you," Pola-Mao said.

The veteran safety noted how much responsibility he takes in regards to making sure everyone is in the right position. He also credited Jeremy Chinn with helping with the vocal side of leading the defense. Chinn joined the Raiders earlier this offseason.

"I take pride in knowing exactly where everybody's supposed to be and I try to put everybody in the right position, make sure everybody's on the same page. So, I think a little bit of a vocal leader, but I also give that to [Jeremy] Chinn because he's going to be more of the guy that's getting everybody hyped up and we're going to kind of follow his lead," Pola-Mao said.

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