Could Sincere McCormick cap comeback by making Raiders’ roster?

By Case Keefer (contact)

Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023 | 2 a.m.

Not a single yard came easily for Sincere McCormick in his Raiders’ debut Sunday afternoon.

Unlike his collegiate days at University of Texas-San Antonio where the running back broke a long run or several of them on a weekly basis, McCormick had to grind out every inch against the San Francisco 49ers’ defense.

And it couldn’t have possibly been a more fitting start to his professional career. That’s not only because McCormick profiles as more of a between-the-tackle runner in the NFL but also because of the prolonged fight the 2022 undrafted rookie free agent faced to step onto the field in the first place.

“I was supposed to be here last year,” McCormick said afterwards in the Raiders’ locker room.

Indeed, McCormick initially signed with Las Vegas at the conclusion of the 2022 NFL Draft. Many draft experts projected McCormick to be picked in the late stages of the draft, but he was left unselected.

He admitted to being hurt by getting passed over, but barely had time to process the disappointment before a bigger hurdle presented itself. McCormick tore an ACL in one of his first offseason workouts upon joining the Raiders.

When an undrafted player goes like McCormick goes down with an injury before the start of the season, it often leads to an injury settlement and the team severing ties. But the Raiders instead placed him on injured reserve, signaling their interest in giving him another opportunity.

That opportunity has come this training camp and really took off in the win against the 49ers. McCormick played virtually the entire second half in relief of starting running back Zamir White and scored a pair of touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving.

He figures to play just as large of a role, if not a larger one, in the second preseason game at 6 p.m. tonight at the Los Angeles Rams.

“It means a lot having the whole organization behind my back knowing they have a belief in me and trust in the process,” McCormick said. “I continue to show them over and over that I’m ready to play. I’m here to play and I’ll do whatever it takes to show them that I belong here.”

McCormick also reportedly impressed in the Raiders’ joint practices with the Rams at the latter’s facility in Thousand Oaks, Calif., earlier this week, sessions that typically feature more reps for players at the top of the depth chart.

Going into training camp, few would have predicted McCormick to make the initial 53-man, regular-season roster, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Tuesday Aug. 29, but now it’s a distinct possibility.

There’s still a long way to go with 91 players currently on the team but a cluster of absences at running back may have helped clear McCormick’s path.

All-Pro veteran Josh Jacobs has yet to report to training camp in protest of his contract situation and could free up a spot on the roster if he misses the start of the season. Two other running backs are banged up as Austin Walter is now on injured reserve and Brittain Brown hasn’t practiced for more than a week.

Walter spent time on the practice squad last year while Brown made the team as a rookie and mostly contributed on special teams.

The Raiders kept six running backs among their 53 players at the start of last year — including fullback Jakob Johnson. If they allot the same number this season, McCormick would almost surely be in line to make the team.

But even if they don’t, he could potentially edge Brown or 11-year veteran Brandon Bolden for the final slot next to Jacobs, Johnson, White and passing-down back Ameer Abdullah.

The Raiders’ coaching staff hasn’t hidden their affection for McCormick, and not just by retaining him after the injury and giving him a big workload in the preseason.

“The player’s health is concern No. 1, and then once they have that back, then just obviously learning the player, who he is, how he learns, it’s been a joy for me to do that with (McCormick),” offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi said after McCormick was cleared to play earlier this summer.

McCormick was not only a fan favorite but arguably the face of UTSA football when he became the program’s all-time leading rusher less than two seasons into his college career. He won the Conference USA Freshman of the Year award initially before going back-to-back as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year including in 2021 when the Roadrunners captured their first conference title in school history.

McCormick went back to the San Antonio area to rehab his knee injury last year and earned his college degree after initially leaving school with remaining eligibility to enter the draft. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor cheered on McCormick live during his Raiders’ debut on Sunday via social media, and then explained why the running back’s success meant so much to him in a news conference posted by UTSA Insiders.

“That kid could have taken days off (at UTSA), but he never took a rep off,” Traylor said. “He was on every inside run, ran the ball 40 times against Memphis and he’s right back out there the very next. There’s a special place in my heart for him. You can’t bet against IQ and character, and Sincere has IQ and he has character. I would never count that kid out.”

But with all McCormick went through a year ago, he had to work not to count himself out. He described a “mental battle” in the first few months after the draft and injury, but he started to overcome it with the motivation of showing he could still perform at a high level.

Whether he makes the team or not, he proved he belonged as a professional with his hard-nosed running and pair of touchdowns against the 49ers.

“I play with enthusiasm every single time I touch that ball,” McCormick said. “Overall, it’s just a complete journey I’ve been going through and just a mindset to keep attacking the defenders.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or