Hayden Growing Into a Solid Cornerback

When the Raiders selected cornerback DJ Hayden in the first round of the 2013 draft, it was a surprise.

Hayden had been overlooked in the first round of most mock drafts and was considered a reach. Though Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie was sold on his skills – he said he had “no doubt” about him when asked if Hayden could be a big-time player – Hayden went through a series of injuries his first two seasons, had limited playing time and was badly burned on several occasions when he did get on the field.

Coming into this season, Hayden was considered a bust by some analysts and fans.

But Hayden’s storyline has changed in 2015, just as the Raiders’ overall performance and perception has changed.

Hayden, the quick former University of Houston standout, is playing a large role on a defense that has improved markedly in 2015. With a victory over the Chargers this past Sunday, the Raiders are 3-3 – tying their win total for all of 2014 – and poised to go over .500 with a victory over the Jets at O.co Coliseum this weekend.

Even before the victory over the Chargers, Hayden’s praises were being sung by defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr.

Though Hayden had some rough patches early in the year, in recent games he’d played very well.

“He’s growing into one of the better cornerbacks in the league,” Norton said.

Then came his performance against the Chargers when he had an interception of Philip Rivers, a forced fumble, batted away a pass and had 10 tackles in Oakland’s win.

Hayden has always had speed, quickness and ball skills, but now he’s building confidence and gaining knowledge. No doubt, too, that he’s had a chance to learn from his mistakes.

Now the Raiders finally are reaping the rewards of having a young, growing cornerback.

“For young players, confidence is really important,” Norton recently told Jimmy Durkin of the Bay Area News Group. “You really have to find a lot of the positive things they are doing and really build their confidence. (Hayden’s) repetitions are high. His skill is getting really good.”