Blistering In From Sea.

[KimJongBaze]

Tyler Van Dyke

[Soapy]

Las Vegas drafts receiver Tory Horton and unique linebacker Eric Gentry
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Colorado State receiver Tory Horton and USC linebacker Eric Gentry in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Horton might have broke through to the general public with an impressive showing against Colorado but he was far from a one-hit wonder, garnering SEC interest after a 1,000-yard season with Colorado State in 2022. Horton put together a 1,368-yard season as a senior, solidifying himself as one of the top Group of 5 players in the country.

He didn't disappoint at the NFL Combine, running a 4.33 forty and finishing first in the vertical jump at 42 inches. He's a bit lean at six-foot-two and 190 pounds but he plays bigger than he is listed and excels at creating yards after the catch. Similar to Bo Melton last season, pairing him with Tre Tucker on the field at the same time should cause defenses problems, especially coming off hard play action with a running game that could continue to be deadly with an improved offensive line even while losing Josh Jacobs.

Gentry is a unique prospect at six-foot-six and 220 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan and seemingly untapped potential as an off-ball linebacker. The production hasn't always been there for Gentry who saw a dip in his numbers in 2023, finishing with just 32 tackles in 2023 after recording 71 as a junior for the Trojans.

He can look a bit gangly out there and the change of direction isn't always what you want out of a linebacker patrolling the middle of the field but he has the top end speed and length to be disruptive as a zone defender and is athletic enough to hold his own against most tight ends.

2024 NFL Draft Fourth Round Selections
1. WSH ‣ OT Brandon Coleman, TCU
2. IND ‣ S Deshawn Pace, Cincinnati
3. HOU ‣ HB Isaiah Davis, South Dakota
4. ARI ‣ LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
5. NYJ ‣ CB Nate Wiggins, Clemson
6. GB ‣ DT Mekhi Wingo, LSU
7. LV ‣ WR Tory Horton, Colorado State
8. CAR ‣ CB Terrion Arnold, Alabama
9. DEN ‣ DT McKinley Jackson, Texas A&M
10. LAR ‣ S Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
11. TB ‣ S Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
12. CHI ‣ LB Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
13. CHI ‣ TE Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina
14. HOU ‣ TE McCallan Castles, Tennessee
15. TEN ‣ LB Junior Colson, Michigan
16. NE ‣ OT Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma
17. NYJ ‣ S Jalen Catalon, Texas
18. PHI ‣ WR Keon Coleman, Florida State
19. JAX ‣ QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
20. NYG ‣ OG Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
21. JAX ‣ LB Karene Reid, Utah
22. LAC ‣ CB D.J. James, Auburn
23. PIT ‣ OLB Patrick Payton, Florida State
24. DAL ‣ CB Caelen Carson, Wake Forest
25. SEA ‣ DE Adisa Isaac, Penn State
26. MIN ‣ QB Riley Leonard, Duke
27. BUF ‣ DT Tim Smith, Alabama
28. BAL ‣ CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
29. ATL ‣ OLB Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
30. CIN ‣ OLB Steele Chambers, Ohio State
31. LV ‣ LB Eric Gentry, USC
32. KC ‣ LB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut

[Soapy]

Tyler Van Dyke

im good on him

[Soapy]

Raiders add explosive receiver Mario Williams who slid in the draft
With back to back picks in the fifth round, the Las Vegas Raiders selected USC receiver Mario Williams and UCF cornerback Decorian Patterson.

The former top wide receiver recruit in the country joined Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma before both moved to USC along with star quarterback Caleb Williams. Williams primarily plays in the slot, routinely finding big plays against zone coverage with his ability to identify defense's weakness and running to the open field. Williams adds some value to the return game and the ability to be used in gadget plays as he's comfortable with the ball in his hands and is difficult to bring down in open field with his sudden movement.

Williams was projected to be a third round pick so him being available in the fifth round likely has to do with his small stature at five-foot-nine and 180 pounds and his issues with drops during his final season at USC. Williams also had a couple of 'no shows' throughout his career in games where he fails to make an impact, especially against teams that play man as he doesn't have elite top end speed to create separation against top notch corners.

A late bloomer, Patterson really caught the attention of NFL scouts this past season, playing all over the field at a very high level. He established himself as a lockdown boundary cornerback, relying on his quick instincts and recovery speed. While he tends to provide a bit of extra cushion underneath in coverage, Patterson rarely ever gives up the big play while making quite a few of his own.

The biggest concern with Patterson is his top end speed, running a 4.53 in the forty and a 9'7" broad jump, highlighting perhaps his limited athleticism. A conversion to safety is not out of the question for Patterson who could get into trouble when matched up with faster receivers in isolated coverage.

2024 NFL Draft Fifth Round Selections
1. WSH ‣ WR Beaux Collins, Clemson
2. MIA ‣ S Major Burns, LSU
3. HOU ‣ CB Nehemiah Pritchett, Auburn
4. ARI ‣ HB Frank Gore Jr, Southern Miss
5. DEN ‣ TE Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford
6. BAL ‣ HB Ja'Quinden Jackson, Utah
7. MIN ‣ DE Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
8. CLE ‣ S Jack Howell, Colorado State
9. MIA ‣ QB Joe Milton, Tennessee
10. LAR ‣ TE Jake Briningstool, Clemson
11. PHI ‣ OT Matt Goncalves, Pittsburgh
12. ARI ‣ WR Dorian Singer, USC
13. CHI ‣ C Isaiah Adams, Illinois
14. CLE ‣ OLB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
15. CAR ‣ DE Justin Eboigbe, Alabama
16. NE ‣ S Malik Mustapha, Wake Forest
17. DEN ‣ OT Anthony Belton, NC State
18. LV ‣ WR Mario Williams, USC
19. LV ‣ CB Decorian Patterson, USC
20. NYG ‣ TE Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss
21. JAX ‣ OLB Jaylen Harrell, Michigan
22. LAC ‣ OT Patrick Paul, Houston
23. PIT ‣ C Jager Burton, Kentucky
24. KC ‣ OLB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
25. SEA ‣ OT Troy Fautanu, Washington
26. DET ‣ CB Josh Wallace, Michigan
27. BUF ‣ HB Roman Hemby, Maryland
28. BAL ‣ TE Theo Johnson, Penn State
29. ATL ‣ OG Tate Ratledge, Georgia
30. CIN ‣ OT Javon Foster, Missouri
31. CAR ‣ RT Caedan Wallace, Penn State
32. MIN ‣ HB Mar'keise Irving, Oregon

[KimJongBaze]

perfect guy to run PA crossers

Gotta see one Miami pick from my boy

[Soapy]

Grading out the Raiders draft as they wrap up 2024 NFL Draft with trade of last pick
The Las Vegas Raiders have traded away the 223th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft in exchange for Washington's 2025 sixth round pick, ending the team's draft with eight total selections with four on each side of the football.

While the true assessment of these picks won't come until the end of the season and truthfully until several years later, it's never too early to start handing out grades and setting the expectations for Raiders fans of these draft picks.

Round 1, Pick 18 ‣ OT Joe Alt
Grade: A+
Comparable Selection: Cowboys OT Kingsley Suamataia (24th overall), 49ers OT Amarius Mims (31st overall)
Projected Role: Day One Starter
Analysis: The Raiders couldn't have done much better, drafting what many considered to be the second best offensive tackle in the draft behind Olu Fashanu who went seventh overall. The Raiders not only got their guy at a position of need, they did it without needing to move up in what was a no-brainer of a pick. He'll likely compete with Thayer Munford Jr. for that starting right tackle spot but it'll be Alt's job to lose from the get go.

Round 2, Pick 31 ‣ DT Tyleik Williams
Grade: C+
Comparable Selection: Bears RB Treveyon Henderson (45th overall), Chargers DT Tyler Davis (54th overall), Ravens DT T'Vondre Sweat (60th overall)
Projected Role: Rotational Player
Analysis: Williams might turn out to be a solid pick but passing on two proven commodities in Tyler Davis and T'Vondre Sweat by trading out of the 44th pick might come back to bite the Raiders as defensive tackle is an instant need for the Raiders and it's hard to see Williams being a more impact player than Davis or Sweat would have been. To add insult to injury, Davis goes to a division rival while Sweat ends up with Baltimore, who always seem to luck out in the draft. Williams figures to be part of the rotation at defensive tackle and could potentially even start over Nesta Jade Silvera at nose tackle if he has a strong summer.

Round 3, Pick 18 ‣ RB Miyan Williams
Grade: B-
Comparable Selection: Texans RB Isaiah Davis (99th overall)
Projected Role: Short Yardage Back
Analysis: The Raiders reached a little bit to land Williams but it was at a position of need and with the top running backs off the board, it was the right call. They missed out on the run of running backs in the second round and grab a pretty good one in the third round who should provide some special teams value as a blocker with his size and also situationally on short yardage downs.

Round 3, Pick 31 ‣ LB Curtis Jacobs
Grade: D
Comparable Selection: Cardinals LB Cedric Gray (100th overall), Jets CB Nate Wiggins (101st overall)
Projected Role: Special Teams
Analysis: Most draft analyst had a day three pick on Jacobs so its understandable while the Raiders didn't want to risk wait until the fourth round to select Jacobs but with a more accomplished linebacker in Cedric Gray still available and a corner in Nate Wiggins who has the traits to be a potential top corner, it's hard to justify taking Jacobs who best case scenario is a situational player. He'll get a chance to carve out a role as a passing down linebacker but those top 100 picks are so coveted that taking a chance on Jacobs this early seems like a poor decision in retrospect.

Round 4, Pick 7 ‣ WR Tory Horton
Grade: B+
Comparable Selection: Eagles WR Keon Coleman (114th overall)
Projected Role: Preseason Darling/2025 Sleeper
Analysis: Horton is the type of player that will show a ton of flashes throughout training camp, especially in shorts and shells, and capture the imagination of fans in the preseason only to disappear and be mostly inactive throughout the season. This isn't a knock on Horton's talent as he has plenty of it -- making this a really good pick -- but it's just hard to see him getting on the field this season behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers as the top two outside receivers followed by backups K.J. Hamlin and Laviska Shenault Jr. who will get most of the backup snaps once the season turns around. Don't expect much this season but in 2025, he'll be a name to watch.

Round 4, Pick 31 ‣ LB Eric Gentry
Grade: D+
Comparable Selection: Dolphins QB Joe Milton (136th overall)
Projected Role: Special Teams
Analysis: Similar to Jacobs, the Raiders are trying to fill a need at linebacker, specifically ones that can cover. Gentry's production saw a dip in 2023 and he looked a bit stiff at the Combine and in his Pro Day so it's hard to anticipate that he'll be the answer to the problem at linebacker when it comes to covering quicker tight ends and running backs.

Round 5, Pick 18 ‣ WR Mario Williams
Grade: A-
Comparable Selection: Jaguars OLB Jaylen Harrell (148th overall)
Projected Role: Return Specialist
Analysis: It's still unclear why Williams, who seems like the modern slot receiver, fell to the fifth round so until something comes out -- whether medically related or off the field -- this is a great selection by the Raiders as they continue to stockpile a receiver room that has quality depth and variety. He might be this year's Tre Tucker if he's able to get on the field and if he can't get snaps on offense, he'll provide some impact on special teams. The only caveat and why this isn't an A+ is because there were bigger needs at other positions, including EDGE, and the last notable EDGE player was selected a few picks later in Jaylen Harrell.

Round 5, Pick 31 ‣ DB Decorian Patterson
Grade: B-
Comparable Selection: Chiefs QB Tyler Van Dyke (183rd overall)
Projected Role: Special Teams
Analysis: We'll see what position Patterson ultimately ends up playing in the NFL as he played corner at UCF and Middle Tennessee State but projects to be more of a safety in the NFL with his lack of top end speed. Either way, he'll primarily be a special teams guy in his first season which will test his physicality and serve as a good measure to see if he has what it takes to move to the more physical position of safety. The Raiders could have spent this pick on a developmental quarterback such as Tyler Van Dyke or Kyle McCord, who ended up going to the Broncos.

[Soapy]

perfect guy to run PA crossers

Gotta see one Miami pick from my boy

you see the vision with Williams and Horton!

i thought about scooping up Leonard Taylor in the 2nd or 3rd but he was gone by my pick.

[Soapy]

Raiders sign nineteen players to bring roster total to 75 ahead of offseason workouts
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed nineteen players, including six undrafted free agents to fill out their roster as they head into OTAs.

The list includes UDFA quarterback Blair Silvers (West Virginia State), veteran quarterback Blaine Gabbert, running back Zonovan Knight, fullback Roger Carter, receiver Bo Melton, UDFA receiver Moose Muhammad III (Texas A&M), tight ends Nick Muse and Trevon Wesco, offensive tackles Andrew Rupcich and Dylan Cook, UDFA offensive guard Trent Miller (Utah State), center Kody Russey, UDFA IDL Demetrius Croom (East Carolina), UDFA nose tackle Fabian Lovett (Florida State), outside linebackers David Anenih and Anfernee Orji, cornerback Steven Gilmore, UDFA cornerback T.J. Tampa (Iowa State) and safety Sheldrick Redwine.

Knight, Melton and Anenih were on the team last season with Melton having a breakout performance in his only start against the Los Angeles Chargers, catching eleven passes for 144 yards. He'll be competing for a roster spot as he tries to hold off rookie receivers Tory Horton and Mario Williams, who are likely to make the 53-man roster.

Moose Muhammad III is the son of former NFL receiver Muhsin Muhammad who was an all-pro with the Carolina Panthers.

[Soapy]

Familiar faces in different places at Las Vegas Raiders' OTAs
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson spent his first NFL season trying to adjust to the speed of the game, the level of competition he was facing after coming from Texas Tech and trying his best to emulate teammate and star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

He's spent the first week of OTAs in his second season learning a new position, or rather getting reacquainted with his old one. The Raiders plan to use Wilson as a five-technique this season, moving him inside where he played at Texas Tech after exclusively being on the edge last season as a rookie. While it's the less glamorous position, it's a move that Wilson is welcoming with open arms.

"I'm definitely more comfortable inside," Wilson told the media after Thursday's practice, "I'm willing to play anywhere, just want to help the team and try to make the best of it."

Wilson added that it was a mutual decision after he was approached by defensive coordinator Patrick Graham at the end of last season regarding the potential switch. Graham clarified that nothing is finalized and that the Raiders plan to use Wilson, and others, in more ways this season.

"We just lined up a lot last season and that was it," Graham said of the schematic differences heading into his third season with the Raiders, "We definitely want to move guys around, use them in different ways because we have a versatile bunch of players from the front to the secondary so we want to leverage that and confuse offenses."

If Wilson does end up sliding into Bilal Nichols' vacated role from last season as a five-technique in the Raiders' front, it does open up a starting spot on the EDGE that several players are in the running for including free agent acquisitions Jordan Willis and Porter Gustin as well as returning players Malcolm Koonce and David Anenih.

Wilson isn't the only one on the move as McDaniels compares Laviska Shenault to former Patriot
Former New England Patriots running back James White caught 364 passes from 2015 to 2020, rivaling product NFL receivers by averaging sixty receptions per season during that time period in Josh McDaniels' offense in New England. McDaniels thinks Laviska Sheunault Jr, who played both receiver and H-back during his time with Jacksonville, can be that safety blanket for Justin Fields.

"You look at guys like Deebo Samuel that can affect the game in multiple ways and a guy we had in New England in James White who really was like a receiver at running back and I definitely see a lot of James White in [Shenault] and he's been open to it and a great addition to that room," McDaniels said of the move to running back, "He's an explosive player that can make plays from anywhere so we want to stress the defense, line him up in different places and see where he fits best within the offense."

Shenault Jr. says that the Raiders pitched the idea to him during his free agency visit, where he signed with the Raiders on a two-year deal. Shenault Jr. is helping a running back room tasked with replacing the production of Josh Jacobs, who the team traded to Baltimore and used the assets gained to land Fields.

Justin Fields looks the part in first sighting as a Raider
It's just shorts and helmets but it's easy to see why Justin Fields was a top ranked quarterback coming out of high school and college and why the Raiders send three top-100 picks to the Chicago Bears for Fields despite his lack of success as a passer.

The ball pops out of his hands and he's shown some surprisingly good accuracy on deeper throws during competitive 7-on-7 periods. He has found a good rapport with top receivers Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, hooking up on a long touchdown to Meyers to end Wednesday's practice.

It's admittedly the perfect setting for Fields who the knock on is that he struggles with breaking down defenses and dealing with a collapsing pocket without relying on his legs. Still, it's a positive sign for the Raiders and their new signal caller who is wearing the No. 7 jersey as Marcus Epps occupies his traditional No. 1.

[KimJongBaze]

season 2 let's get it