CB Keisean Nixon

Keisean Nixon has never been lacking in confidence. The weekly texts from his former coach, Snoop Dogg, don’t hurt.

When the undrafted rookie cornerback from southern California and then South Carolina arrived at the Raiders training camp in Napa last month, he expected to make the 53-man roster. Nothing has changed with cut-down day five sleeps away.

He might be even more confident now, as he has shown tight coverage in the first three preseason games. Meanwhile, second-year cornerback Nick Nelson has not played well, and rookie draft pick Isaiah Johnson has been sidelined.

“If you’ve studied the film, you’ll see what we see,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said Sunday. “He’s made more plays than any of our corners. He’s playing extremely well. He’s confident.

“I mean, he’s had a lot of ball production and he’s also been a factor on special teams, so we are really pleased with Nixon.”

Nixon took the compliment in stride, almost like that’s what his coach should say about him.

Nixon has been covering NFL receivers all his life, after all.

“Since I was little,” Nixon said Sunday. “Grew up playing against top dudes like JuJu Smith-Schuster and John Ross, grew up playing dudes like that so the competition level has always been there. So it’s just a matter of getting a feel and then just playing football like you have since you were little.”

Nixon is from Paramount, a suburb of Los Angeles. He went up against Smith-Schuster (the future Steelers receiver) and Ross (the future Bengals speedster) going all the way back to when he was in the sixth grade. They all played in the Snoop Youth Football League, founded in 2005 by rapper and mogul Snoop Dogg.

Snoop was Nixon’s coach on a couple of occasions.

“People don’t understand, Snoop Dogg is a real coach, he coaches you hard,” Nixon said. “But Jon Gruden is a different guy. I love that man, though. If he loves you, he loves you — no matter how hard people think he is on you. He shows you respect. And that goes further than just being a coach.”

Nixon attended Arizona Western College before transferring to South Carolina. He had 71 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass break-ups in two seasons for the Gamecocks, but when the NFL Draft rolled around, he didn’t have to deal with the stress and anguish of sitting through the entire event, hoping to hear his name called.

The 5-foot-10, 200-pound Nixon knew he wasn’t getting drafted.

“I actually had got a neck injury the last game of the season, so I kind of knew how it was going to play out,” Nixon said. “After that I wasn’t really focused on the draft, I was focused on getting on a team and just doing what I’ve been doing now, which is maintaining and growing.”

Nixon picked up defensive coordinator Paul Guenther’s defense pretty quickly, he said, and has been able to react without thinking. And most importantly, when the ball is in the air …

“Don’t panic,” he said. “Understand what you’ve got going on within the routes, the levels of routes, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3. (Secondary) coach Jim O’Neill really teaches that a lot here. I learned that here. More reps you get, the better you get at it.”

And especially if the reps are against some bonafide NFL playmakers. He worked out with Rams receiver Robert Woods in the offseason, and has been regularly tested by the Raiders’ improved receiving corps.

Nixon has one preseason game left, Thursday in Seattle, before he knows if he made the 53-man roster.

Starters Gareon Conley and Daryl Worley are locks, as is second-round pick Trayvon Mullen (who is just coming back from a hamstring injury). Safety Lamarcus Joyner will be the team’s primary slot corner. Nevin Lawson figures to be the No. 4 corner when he returns from a four-game PED suspension.

That opens up a spot for Nixon, as Nelson gave up two touchdowns last week against the Packers in Winnipeg and Johnson, a fourth-round pick, has not come back from what started out as a concussion.

“He’s struggling,” Gruden said of Johnson on Sunday. “He had a facial injury (Week 1) against the Rams. Not quite sure if he’ll be ready for the season opener, but he’s been out for the last couple days.”

Nixon is not looking at the depth chart. He will keep running full steam on special teams and trying to blanket receivers until someone tells him to turn in his helmet.

“Keep working,” Nixon said when asked his reaction to Gruden’s praise. “You can make plays but that don’t guarantee you a spot at the end of the day. Just do what they tell you to do, the little stuff that matters more.”

Liuget appears likely to stick on the 53-man roster
It sure sounds like newly signed defensive tackle Corey Liuget has a spot on the 53-man roster already locked up. With an intense battle for roster spots developing on a crowded defensive line, Liuget isn’t sure if he will even play in Thursday’s preseason finale.

He also said Monday that he will need a game or two to get back in the swing of things, but the former Charger said the wait will be worth it.

“I fit perfectly into this scheme,” Liuget said. “It’s a one-gap, penetrating defense. That’s what I love. That’s my style of defense. That’s what we had with the Chargers the past couple years, so I’m super excited to be in it.”