Raiders Opponent Defensive Star: Asante Samuel Jr.

The Las Vegas Raiders will play their third road game of the season at SoFi Stadium against divisional opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, this Sunday.

The Chargers’ defense has top-heavy talent, but many of their main contributors are banged up. Defensive end Joey Bosa did not practice Wednesday with a hamstring and toe injury, safety Derwin James did not practice with a hamstring injury, and linebacker Kenneth Murray did not practice with a groin injury.

One player who was not on the injury report was cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. Samuel has developed into an impressive, productive young defensive back for the Chargers.

Raiders fans probably remember watching Samuel’s father play against them back in the day, as Asante Samuel Sr. played for the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and Atlanta Falcons from 2003-2013.

Now, his son is creating his own path in the league, and it is off to a good start. After being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida State, Samuel has posted 114 total tackles, 24 passes defended, and four interceptions. He recorded three interceptions in the Chargers’ Wild Card Game loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Samuel is a technically proficient, physical corner who has a knack for making plays on the ball. While he does not have the desired size at just 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, he more than makes up for it with his competitiveness and physicality against bigger receivers.

In four career games against the Raiders, Samuel has posted 17 total tackles, five passes defended, and an interception. He has struggled in coverage against the Raiders in those games, allowing 22 completions on 31 targets for 298 yards and three touchdowns, per Pro Football Focus.

Samuel will once again be matched up with Davante Adams, a match-up in which many corners welcome the challenge but do not often win. It will be an exciting individual match-up in this divisional game. Adams caught 18 receptions for 318 yards and three touchdowns against the Chargers last season.

With the Chargers dealing with a slew of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, Samuel will have to step up in a tough match-up with the Raiders’ wide receivers. He is a talented cornerback, so it will be worth watching to see how he performs in this game.

The Silver and Black return to the road this week in Inglewood, Calif., to play the Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT.

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