Silver And Black Pride
Undrafted free agents, everyone talks about them, usually more so than most rookies drafted in rounds 5-7. Undrafted rookies have made waves in the NFL, they have certainly found opportunities to start, become All-Pro’s, and impact games heavily. The Raiders have heavily leaned on former undrafted free agents on the roster year after year. Up till the 2025 season, Las Vegas had carried a UDFA on the initial roster for nearly 10 straight seasons. While nothing will likely come close to their 2019 UDFA class which included All-Pro’s Keisean Nixon (KR), AJ Cole (P), Alec Ingold (FB). They also found starters in Andre James and Lester Cotton on the offensive line. Per Pro Football Reference’s Average Value (similar to MLB WAR) the Raiders 2019 UDFA class accounted for more value than Clelin Ferrell, Johnathan Abram, and Trayvon Mullen combined.
If you’re wondering where some of the 2019 UDFA’s are, Cole is the only one to remain with the Raiders. Alec Ingold landed with the Chargers after a stint in Miami, Keisean Nixon remains on the Packers and played north of 1000 snaps on defense last season. Andre James spent 2025 with the Chargers, and remains a free agent alongside Lester Cotton Sr.
2020:
The Raiders 2020 UDFA class included very few UDFA’s, largely given the COVID cycle resulting in teams inability to find talent down the board, and conduct full interviews as they wished to do.
The class also included ILB Javin White who spent 5 seasons in the NFL and UFL, CB Madre Harper, TE Nick Bowers, and K Dom Eberle who are no longer playing professional football.
2021:
The Raiders landed back on their roots in 2021, adding 10 undrafted free agents. The class featured TE Matt Bushman (retired in 2023 as 2x Super Bowl Champion), RB Garrett Groshek (retired in 2023), T Devery Hamilton, CB TJ Morrison, RB Trey Ragas, ILB Max Richardson, WR Dillon Stoner, DT Darius Stills (retired in 2023), and CB Shaun Crawford among Turner below. The class did not produce any true NFL starters or depth talent, and as a whole has been the Raiders lowest UDFA class since average value has been calculated.
2022:
2022, the first season for GM Dave Ziegler with the Raiders following his time with the Patriots and in replacement of former Raiders general manager Mike Mayock who was dismissed in early January. The Raiders attacked the undrafted free agent front heavily, something that the Patriots and Ziegler had done numerous times. The class...
