Marcell Ateman's NFL debut gives Raiders plenty of reason for optimism

BALTIMORE – Marcell Ateman spent key portions of his NFL debut locking horns with Patrick Peterson. The Arizona Cardinals cornerback ranks high among the NFL’s best, but the Raiders' rookie wide receiver wasn't ntimidated.

That would have only detracted from his primary objective. He was reverent yet unafraid, which is how Ateman's first professional catch came against the three-time All-Pro.

“You have to be respectful, but at the same time you go out and battle against him,” Ateman said. “That’s your job and you can’t be afraid to do it. That’s what the sport is. That’s what you’re supposed to do. I’m supposed to make big plays.”

He made a huge one late. He wasn’t matched up with Peterson late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 23-21 victory over the Cardinals, when his job was to get open deep. He found a way to beat his guy, secure a 32-yard catch when it absolutely had to be made and set up the Daniel Carlson’s game-winning field goal.

That was the type of play Ateman made regularly in training camp, but those efforts weren’t good enough to earn a roster spot outright. He ended up on the practice squad, promoted at last following Amari Cooper’s trade to the Dallas Cowboys.

Injuries to Martavis Bryant and Jordy Nelson made him active for the first time against the Cardinals, and opened a window to show Raiders coaches what he can do.

That’s why Ateman’s the subject of this week’s rookie spotlight.

Let’s take a deeper dive into Ateman’s progress, and what needs to happen next so he can become a Raiders mainstay during a time of great flux:

Marcell Ateman

Position: Wide receiver
Draft slot: No. 228 overall (seventh round)
School: Oklahoma State
Height/weight: 6-foot-4; 216 pounds
2018 Stats: 4 receptions for 50 yards on 5 targets in one game (65 offensive snaps)

Raw tools: Ateman has plenty of size, but less-than-ideal speed. He does, however, have a nose for the football.

Ateman's adept positioning his body right to pluck passes from the sky, and generate just enough space to become a friendly target. He’s good in traffic, which makes him an appealing option among healthy Raiders receivers.

The rookie has a lot of Michael Crabtree's traits, but has work to do to validate such a lofty comparison.

Early returns: Ateman made a strong first impression, and was one of the heroes in that win over the Cardinals. He beat his cover man down the left sideline late, and found a way to make a big play when the Raiders had to have one.

“It was good from the competitive aspect of that game, the intense situations that came about in that game. There was a lot of back and forth, it was good to see him compete and compete at a high level,” Raiders offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. “He’ll always be able to look back and say his first catch was against Patrick Peterson, at a big point in the game. He had a couple opportunities to go up against Patrick. It was good. He competed.”

Where Ateman has improved: It’s hard to gauge improvement from one showing, but the former Oklahoma State Cowboy maintained his strong showing in a regular-season game after impressing in preseason practices.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden was also happy to see the stage wasn’t to big for him to perform and process the mental rigors of playing receiver in his scheme.

“He handled some audibles,” Gruden said. “I think [quarterback Derek Carr], early in the game audibled and went to him on a quick screen. He handled that part of it well, the changing of plays. He made some very good blocks. Even on the Seth Roberts play to set up the field goal. Then he had the big catch. I was really pleased with Ateman. It wasn’t too big for him. He was confident. He was under control. He was calm. He made some plays.”

What’s next: While there were encouraging signs in his NFL debut, consistency must be achieved, especially after defensive coaches start using game tape to find ways to slow him down.

He must respond well against cornerbacks of all types, especially bigger defenders who can be physical with him. Ateman’s hands must remain steady and allow him to become an increasingly trusted target as the season wears on.

With Cooper gone and other veterans hurt, Ateman will have plenty of chances to excel down the stretch. He must make the most of them.

Quotable: “I’ve been doing this since I’ve been playing football. There’s no reason to overthink it. You just play the game you’ve always played, and ignore the context. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that.” – Ateman, on why he wasn’t intimidated by the NFL stage.