Young Raiders Safety Pola-Mao is Growing into Star

The Las Vegas Raiders are filled with numerous players that have little-to-no experience in the National Football League.

Nov 3, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) reacts after breaking up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Trenton Irwin (16) in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders have been playing more and more of the younger players over the last month or the season. Injuries have played a significant role in how the season has gone for the Raiders this season, which is one of the primary reasons the Raiders are 3-13 on the season.

However, those injuries have led to the Raiders featuring more younger players seemingly by the week. The voids Las Vegas' injuries left were massive, as many of the players lost to injury were some of the best players on the team.

Still, some players have shined more than others during their time on the field. Safety Isaiah Pola Mao is one of the players who the Raiders believe has a bright future for the team.

He has continued to improve over the past weeks and shine his role. The talented safety led the Raiders led the team in tackles against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday against the Las Vegas, and forced two fumbles.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce credited Pola-Mao with a productive last few weeks.

"Well, I think it started just doing it the right way," Pierce said. "Comes in undrafted, works his way up, special teams, gets a little play here or there on defense, and obviously when the opportunity came up, he was ready. It wasn't like, 'Oh, just throw him in.' No, we were ready for him to play.

"And all he's done is taken every advantage of it. He's vocal. He has a quiet, like you said, confidence about himself now. He has all the ability in the world; tall, long, can run, ball skills, physicality showed up last night. He's really put himself in a good place. And it really started in the offseason when he was here every day after the Super Bowl."

"Well, that was one of the changes we made," Pierce said. "We talked about putting him on punt team. He's a guy that's where he started off at, and anything you can do to help the team. No complaining, just go out there and do it, and go back out there and play ball." 

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