Ricky Manning Jr. didn’t mince words when talking about Nate Hobbs last month.
“Nate is the key that unlocks our defense,” the Las Vegas Raiders cornerbacks coach said about the slot defender.
That’s very high praise for a new assistant on head coach Antonio Pierce’s staff for the fourth-year defender. Hobbs, who turned 25 recently, developed into one of the premiere slot defenders in the league after being taken in the fifth round (167th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Illinois. Well-built at 6-feet and 195 pounds, Hobbs is viewed as integral by Manning Jr.