Many people in Aliquippa graduate M.J. Devonshire’s family and inner circle were hoping he could stay home to play in the NFL.
That didn’t happen, however, as the former Pitt cornerback was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the seventh round Saturday. He was the 35th cornerback drafted, 229th player overall.
Big time players ✨
make big time plays ????
in big time games ???? @Mjdevonshirejr is one of those guys ????And the @Raiders just gave him a chance to do it on the biggest stage of them all ⚫️#H2P » @NFLDraft » @NFL pic.twitter.com/0vGuuIGUAD
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) April 27, 2024
MJ Devonshire’s Draft Call to the Las Vegas Raiders ???????? @Mjdevonshirejr @Raiders @NFL @nflnetwork @NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/TgYnH1uPlR
— Prospect Media (@prospectmedia_) April 27, 2024
The more impressive numbers surrounding Devonshire are these: He is the ninth Pitt cornerback drafted into the NFL in the past seven years and the 17th player overall in the past three years.
“Anywhere they want to take me is the right opportunity,” Devonshire said on Pitt’s pro day. “It does mean something that a lot of people in my family are Steelers fans. It means something to them, but to me it’s whoever wants to take a chance on me.”
Devonshire is the 16th Aliquippa graduate drafted by the NFL and the sixth to go through Pitt to get there, joining all-time greats Mike Ditka and Darrelle Revis, plus Sean Gilbert, Josh Lay and Jon Baldwin.
After he transferred from Kentucky, Devonshire was regularly around the football during his three seasons at Pitt. He recorded eight interceptions, returning three for touchdowns (against West Virginia and Virginia in 2022 and Louisville last season). That tied a Pitt record with Billy Owens (1983-1987) and Malcolm Powell (2000-2004).
“I don’t know how an Aliquippa kid got out of Pittsburgh and made his way down to Kentucky,” ESPN analyst Field Yates said Saturday on the telecast. “Fearless competitor.”
ESPN’s Louis Riddick, a Pitt grad himself, was eyewitness to Devonshire’s interception in the WVU game. “That’s about as excited as I’ve seen a Pitt crowd in years.
“This guy has big-play potential. He has to get more aggressive on the edge as far as tackling, but from an athletic standpoint, he’s got it all.”
During the 2023 season, he was named second-team All-ACC after picking off four passes and breaking up 10. His 1.17 per-game average on pass breakups led the ACC.
Those numbers attracted the Raiders’ attention. “It’s a production-based league,” Devonshire said.
At the NFL Combine, Devonshire ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and recorded a 38 1/2-inch vertical leap.
