Raiders report: Nate Hobbs gets chance to be like Devin Hester

Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs grew up in an era of absurdly talented defensive backs and had plenty of players to look up to during his formative years as a football player.

But he had eyes for a different phase of the game.

“I used to be like 10 years old watching Devin Hester highlights, and I was just thinking the other day, ‘This is crazy. I’m in the NFL, and I’ve got an opportunity to catch a kick and take it back,” said Hobbs, who played at Illinois, of the Chicago Bears star returner. “Even if I don’t get one there in a real game, it feels good in practice. I feel very confident with the ball in my hands. I know I’m an athlete, so when I land on my feet I’m thinking I can go to the crib.”

Hobbs has not returned kicks or punts in the NFL, but he’s taking reps during training camp.

“I returned kicks and punts in college, so that’s something I’m comfortable with, and I like to do it,” he said. “It turns me up for real when I’ve got the ball in my hands. It adds to my game.”

Hobbs has to be better at returning kicks than he is as a softball outfielder. He missed several practices at the start of camp after taking a fly ball off the face in a charity softball game.

“I saw the ball, and it was in the air, but it was one of those Aaron Rodgers floaters up there, and I’m like, ‘All right, it’s coming. No, it’s not coming. Now it’s coming. No, it’s not coming.’ I tried to catch it, and the rest was history.”

Hobbs said it took him awhile to process that he would have to miss some time at camp.

“The way my mind works, it really wasn’t like that,” he said. “I just got in the face. As you can see, I’ve got a couple scars on my face. So I’m like, ‘It’s cool, it is what it is.’ I didn’t even know it was bleeding that bad, and it was like that until I saw it.”

Practice report

The team practiced in helmets and shorts Sunday after a few days of physical sessions in full pads with hitting.

It was part of the plan ahead of two days off from practice Monday and Tuesday. Starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo also had another planned rest day Sunday.

Coach Josh McDaniels said before practice that the schedule was designed to give the team a day to clean up some things without as much physicality before what figures to be feisty joint practices with the San Francisco 49ers later in the week. The teams meet Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in their first preseason game.

“We’ve seen some real progress on both sides (of the ball), and then there’s definitely things that we’re going to try to fix and improve on,” McDaniels said. “Today’s going to be a big correction day in every phase of the game.”

McDaniels said there’s a fine line between wanting your offense or defense to be ahead at this point in camp.

“I don’t really have a preference. I hope we just keep making progress,” he said.

Rookie passes physical

Third-round pick Byron Young passed his physical and was activated from the physically unable to perform list in time to participate in Sunday’s practice. He had been out for undisclosed reasons.

It was the first time he has taken the field with his new teammates during training camp.

Young, a second-team All-Southeastern Conference performer at Alabama last season, is expected to have an impact on the interior defensive line rotation.

Waiting game

McDaniels was unfazed when asked about the potential of first-round pick Tyree Wilson’s absence extending well into the season, saying he had no concerns about that possibility.

Wilson remains on the nonfootball injury list and hasn’t taken the practice field because of a foot injury suffered in his final season at Texas Tech.

McDaniels hasn’t ruled Wilson out of the regular-season opener.

“As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to be out there,” McDaniels said. “There’s been nothing that has been told to us that that’s not going to happen.”

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.