Raiders' CB M.J. Devonshire Comes From Rich Defensive Back Lineage

The Las Vegas Raiders selected the Pitt cornerback in the seventh round. His college coaching might make him more valuable than expected.

Pittsburgh Panthers M.J. Devonshire pumps up the crowd during the second half against the Cincinnati / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network /

The Las Vegas Raiders selected Pitt cornerback MJ Devonshire in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Devonshire fits the mold of what General Manager Tom Telesco and Coach Antonio Pierce want -- a versatile, hard-nosed, physical football player.

Perhaps one of the best intangibles Devonshire brings to the Raiders stems from his college coaching.

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is considered one of the premier defensive minds in college football. Narduzzi is no stranger to developing talented defensive backs.

Before he took the helm at Pitt, he was the defensive coordinator at Michigan State. There, Narduzzi molded some of the best defensive backs in school history.

Darqueze Dennard, for example, was a three-star prospect, per 247Sports Composite. He was the No. 1450 in the recruiting class of 2010.

In the Green and White, Dennard would shine, becoming a three-year starter and two-time first-team All-Big Ten recognition.

In his final season with Narduzzi and the Spartans, Dennard would prove to be a vital piece in one of the best defenses in college football history.

Dennard was a unanimous All-American selection and winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. Dennard would be a first-round selection.

Another developmental gem Narduzzi coached in East Lansing was cornerback Trae Waynes -- another first-round pick.

On a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Insider Podcast," Narduzzi discussed with our Hondo Carpenter Sr. how his coaching -- then and now -- prepares his defensive backs for the pro level.

"One thing I can tell you about M.J. -- we know he can run already that's the number one priority for a guy in press [defense]," Narduzzi said. " ... but he can press and get his hands on you but I think the most important ingredient that I guess M.J. is gonna have, like all of our corner that go to the National Football League ... is that he's not going to be afraid they're going to bring some corners in that have the timing to play off-coverage, playing soft, playing Cover 3, whatever it may be -- [M.J.] is used to it.

"When [the Raiders] come into camp and they say 'Hey, you're pressing out there,' he's going to be like, 'OK, that's good, I do that all day, that's my job.'"

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