Raiders CB Nate Hobbs Named Team's Bounce-Back Candidate

Pro Football Focus deemed cornerback Nate Hobbs the Las Vegas Raiders' bounce-back candidate.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs (39) interacts with the crowd after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders have a number of players who broke out last season and will be expected to carry over their success into the 2024 campaign.

But then there's some who had down years and will be expected to redeem themselves.

In a recent article from Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus, Locker analyzed a player from all 32 NFL teams who he thought was each club's bounce-back candidate. For the Raiders, Locker chose cornerback Nate Hobbs.

"The Raiders got a lot of good production from several returning offensive players, and with limited defensive talent beyond the defensive line, they’re a tough pick for this exercise," Locker wrote. "But Hobbs is a viable candidate.

"Hobbs was phenomenal in 2021, with an 80.1 overall grade and a 78.0 coverage mark after allowing under 400 yards all season. But he didn’t match that level of play the past two years, never exceeding a 69.0 overall grade in 2022 or 2023. A big reason why could be that Hobbs played on the outside much more in that span than his first year.

"Las Vegas has big questions in its secondary, but a full season of Jack Jones — who was a ballhawk late last year — could enable Hobbs to stay more in the slot, where he excelled before."

The Raiders drafted Hobbs in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He would record 74 tackles, three for loss, a sack, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, and an interception in 16 games (nine starts).

Hobbs has since battled some injuries but has still managed to be one of the Raiders' top cornerbacks over the past few seasons. He actually comes off of what was his best statistical season yet, despite having appeared in just 13 games.

Hobbs finished the 2023 season fourth on the team in combined tackles with a career-best 86. He posted six for loss, a sack, seven passes defensed, a forced fumble, and an interception.

The fourth-year Raider is still young and probably hasn't even reached his full potential yet, given the amount of games he has missed over the last two seasons. If he can stay healthy, watch for Hobbs to have a big-time 2024 campaign.

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