Oakland Raiders: Nicholas Morrow calms linebacker anxiety

At least for now, Nicholas Morrow has pacified the call for a coverage linebacker. How has the Division III defender fit within the Oakland Raiders defense?

Oakland Raiders linebacker Nicholas Morrow set foot on the Jalen Richard route to generate buzz on the roster. Though, the Greenville College product started his journey from a starting point further away from the NFL.

The Raiders have encapsulated what America stands for in terms of opportunity. It really doesn’t matter where the team selects a rookie or if he goes undrafted, there’s a chance at a roster spot. Oakland looks like the land of opportunity.

The Silver and Black have several undrafted talents who contribute on a weekly basis over the past two seasons under head coach Jack Del Rio. Shilique Calhoun, a former third-round pick, takes reps on the practice squad. It’s a good sign when production overrides status. Though, there’s still hope the Michigan State product can turn his fortunes around.

As for Morrow, his play turned heads during training camp. Quarterback Derek Carr talked about a specific rep when a pass went in the air with a Cover-0 alignment on the field (per Raiders.com):

"This man comes out of nowhere. He runs and dives, 15 yards away, and picks it off. I said, `Who is this guy?That’s when he really put it on the scene and I started paying attention to what he was doing. You see athletically that he has it. Mentally, he’s got a good grasp for the kind of football he was playing before he got here—it’s obviously a different level. I don’t think that the game is too big for him. I think that he’s going to be a good player."

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Carr saw what the fans started to notice during the preseason. After tallying just three tackles during the first two exhibition contests, Morrow popped off the screen with 11 tackles in the last two matchups. Similar to his quarterback, the undrafted rookie may have changed his season outlook in the preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks.

On Aug. 31, the Raiders backups saw extended looks. Many thought LaTroy Lewis would nail down a spot as a strong-side linebacker behind Bruce Irvin, but the team cut him and retained James Cowser in that role. Morrow filled a definite need on the weak side as a potential coverage linebacker.

Through two weeks, Morrow has paid dividends. According to Pro Football Focus, he’s allowed one catch for minus-three yards in 17 coverage snaps:

The Division III product doesn’t have a huge sample size, but when you watch him move on film, it’s clear he possesses the skill set to expand on his success in coverage. Silver and Black Pride writer Chris Reed illustrated a moment when New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown opted against targeting a pass-catcher with Morrow in the area:

Raider Ramble writer Micah Schneidermann plucked footage of Morrow in pursuit with a clean open-field tackle on the finish:

In the short examples above, you can see Morrow’s ability to stay alert with traffic around him along with his quick decision to diagnose and commit to making a play in seconds. With those three qualities alone, the Raiders may have a playmaker on the rise within the second level of their defense.

Reggie McKenzie Calm Amid Linebacker Panic

General manager Reggie McKenzie opened up about his linebacker plans with The Athletic’s Vic Tafur after Week 1. While the fans expressed concern for the position, the Raiders executive didn’t see the same dire straits:

"I never thought it was as dire a situation as some of you guys did. (Smiles). The problem is the lack of experience. You can’t say that these guys aren’t physical or that they can’t run. There are no can’ts. There just aren’t a lot of cans, yes, because they have no resume.So, guys like Tyrell Adams, Marquel, (Nicholas) Morrow and even Cory — who was able to come back from that knee ‘scope — they’re all talented. We just don’t know how good they can be yet."

McKenzie’s maddening patience once again drove people on the outside completely nuts. “What’s his plan?” Why isn’t Perry Riley Jr. back on the field?” “Which veteran should the team sign to fill the starting inside linebacker role?”

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It’s hard to say McKenzie knew Morrow would rise among the group as a significant contributor, but he maintained his stance on allowing the inexperienced youth to establish potential roles at the position. We’re far from looking at the Greenville College product as the long-term solution, but he’s earned an opportunity to claim the spot.

After Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota targeted Tyrell Adams nine times for 117 yards in coverage, per Pro Football Focus Elite, the Raiders coaching staff made a switch to Morrow in those situations for the following contest. In fact, the rookie played 25 snaps compared to 21 for the second-year player in Week 2.

In the overall picture, through two weeks, you can see how the coaching staff utilized their young linebacker corps:

Based on the snap-count scenarios, the coaching staff doesn’t trust fifth-rounder Marquel Lee in coverage yet. For now, he’s a downhill linebacker who’s asked to support the run defense. Cory James leads the group and barely comes off the field. In another week or so, Morrow’s snap count should surpass Adams’ total.

Next: 2018 NFL Draft: Raiders 7-round mock draft in September

On Sunday, the Raiders will match up against a quality receiving tight end in Jordan Reed. The Washington Redskins have utilized running back Chris Thompson as their pass-catching tailback. He’s caught seven passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. Morrow could see his playing sample size double during Week 3.

The undrafted rookie must continue to prove himself to justify overlooking a veteran addition at the position. Nonetheless, we’re certain to see where he stands after a Sunday Night Football showdown in Washington.