Raiders’ draft pick has great ball skills
One of the reasons why Pitt cornerback M.J. Devonshire was invited to the East-West Shrine Bowl this offseason was his tremendous ball skills.
And those skills were on display during the practice week and during the game.
“M.J. definitely showed his his balance and how he put himself in position to get interceptions during the week,” Shrine Game director of football ops and player personnel Eric Galko told Silver and Black Pride in a recent phone interview. “He has among the best ball skills in the entire draft and he could be special … the DaRon Bland comparisons are not outrageous.”
Bland, of course, became a first-team All-Pro for the Dallas Cowboys last season after he led the NFL with nine interceptions and set a league record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns, He has 14 interceptions in two NFL seasons after being a fifth-round pick.
The Raiders would love to see that type of incredible production from Devonshire, who was taken in the seventh round with the No. 229 overall pick, the last of the Raiders’ eight picks.
He had a team-high four interceptions (including one for a touchdown return) with 10 pass breakups in 2023. He was a second-team All-ACC selection. He played in all 12 of Pitt’s games with nine starts.
In 2022, the transfer from Kentucky had three interceptions with two returned for touchdowns. He was honorable mention All-ACC as a cornerback and second-team All-ACC as a return specialist. He became the first player at Pitt since eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis in 2006 to return both and interception and a punt for a touchdown in the same game.
Galko is among many around the NFL who thought Devonshire may have been under-drafted. Some teams thought he might not be a fit for their scheme and some scouts thought he gets overly aggressive at times.
Still, the Raiders clearly feel good about Devonshire and think his ball skills translates to NFL success.
“He has great speed and he’s athletic,” Galko said. “He has length and he plays the ball like a receiver … I think he can be a really good player.”
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