Silver And Black Pride
We’re less than a week away from the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookies reporting to training camp, making this our last pre-camp mailbag of the summer. We’re continuing to dive into the Raiders’ roster, with a heavy emphasis on the offensive line since there are several position battles in the trenches. Let’s get to it!
A: First, thank you! Marcus and I appreciate the support and the kind words!
I understand where the thought process is in comparing the beginnings of Kolton Miller’s and DJ Glaze’s careers since both struggled in pass protection early on. But one of the big differences between those two is that Miller was an elite athlete coming out of UCLA while Glaze wasn’t/isn’t. For comparison, the former earned a 9.98 Relative Athletic Score while the Maryland product had just a 5.75 during their respective NFL combines.
Miller’s biggest issue as a rookie was his play strength and thus, handling power rushers. Meanwhile, Glaze’s problem is the opposite, where he has trouble staying in front of speed rushers. It’s a lot easier to put 10 to 15 pounds of muscle on a young player than it is to make a 315-pounder more athletic. The scientific reasoning behind that is way above my head and would take someone who knows much more about physiology than I do to explain, but it just is.
I’d imagine it’s easier for the body to adjust to carrying more weight when it already has a good/elite athletic foundation, and there’s a bigger element of genetics involved in athleticism than there is with strength. Plus, even us common folk can relate to how easy it is to put on weight as we get older, LOL!
Miller is living proof of that. He was listed at 310 pounds during his last year at UCLA and was 309 at the 2018 NFL Combine, and the Raiders’ roster currently has him at 326 pounds. Meanwhile, Glaze already had the size and strength, weighing 328 pounds at Maryland and putting up 29 bench press reps during his pre-draft process. However, what’s concerning about Glaze is that he tipped the combine scale at 315 and still put up underwhelming testing numbers.
So, can a young tackle make big improvements with their footwork and lateral agility? Sure, it’s possible. But it helps if they already have a good athletic foundation and it’s more of a technique issue. Glaze doesn’t have the former, which is why his issues in pass protection are more concerning.
Another big difference between the two tackles is that Miller got better from years one to two, while Glaze regressed after a solid rookie season. Of course, last year’s coaching staff was abysmal—especially Brennan Carroll—to give the 2024 third-round pick some slack. However, it’s a lot more difficult to say they’re on the same career trajectory when they’re starting on different paths.
All of that being said, Glaze still has a chance to prove himself under better coaching with Rick Dennison. But he has to earn...
