The Raiders top two draft picks last year played so sparingly that they ought to be called redshirt rookies this season. Refer to them how you may, cornerback Gareon Conley and safety Obi Melifonwu are on the verge of a drastic shift in their fledgling NFL careers. The Raiders entered last season hoping to find
Gareon Conley, Obi Melifonwu enter second season basically as rookies
Injuries limited Raiders' top two 2017 draft picks to seven games combined
I wish it had been a redshirt season for Conley. Because at least we could have burned the redshirt and had him play. That was not the case.
Obi had a path perfectly set had he stayed healthy. He would be our starting FS if he had learned from Nelson and gotten some reps.
Yes they are both rookies.
I wish we had both of them. Would Joseph would be better as FS? Can Obi play SS?
A lot is often written about how players make a dramatic leap from their first to their second year. Rookies spend a year training, learning the playbook, learning their role on the team, learning how to be a professional, and adjusting to the speed of the game. I wonder how much of a leap these two will make from year one to two. They were able to learn some things, like (hopefully) the playbook and how to be a professional, but they missed out on the experience from playing and adjusting to the speed of the game. I hope they were able to pick up enough that they’re not too far behind.