Silver And Black Pride
Returning Raider Nation’s questions for the week
The 2025 NFL Draft is finally in the books and ... I’m tired.
But there’s no time for sleep as the Las Vegas Raiders added 11 draft picks to the roster! The Raiders have also been busy signing undrafted free agents, and we have this week’s mailbag to get to!
A: My initial reaction is to look at the linebackers since that’s a wide-open position group for the Raiders, so Indiana’s Jailin Walker has a chance at making the roster. Walker can run and has experience playing special teams to help boost his odds.
Kansas cornerback Mello Dotson also has shot, as many people thought Dotson was draftable, and Las Vegas could use defensive back help/depth. He ran a slow 40 (4.59), though, which could be a bigger issue at the next level.
If SMU defensive tackle Anthony Booker Jr. can prove himself at nose tackle, he could earn a roster spot, too. Booker has the size at 6-foot-4 and 348 pounds, but was primarily a 3-technique/B-gap defensive tackle during his college career.
Depending on whether Chip Kelly wants to have a fullback, keep an eye on Old Dominion tight end-convert Pat Conroy, too.
Q: What’s the Raiders' rhyme reason or preferred process on how they target and sign undrafted free agents?
A: I think it starts with going after guys they had draftable grades on. The two that first come to mind from this year’s crop of UDFAs are Dotson and Minnesota defensive end Jah Joyner. There’s a reason why those were two of the first signings to get announced.
From there, an emphasis is placed on players who could potentially contribute on special teams, meaning guys who played on special teams in college, have speed and are good tacklers. Obviously, the latter is hard to judge with offensive players, so it will be more important for them to have special-teams tape to prove they can tackle.
Also, this is typically where fullbacks get picked up. Alec Ingold was a UDFA in 2019, and Conroy this year. Finally, filling out the depth chart for preseason and picking up offensive linemen who have size and traits helps round out the UDFA class.
Q: Why did Jack Bech leave LSU for TCU? NIL? Wanted to change position (from TE to WR)?
A: For clarity, Bech spent some time as a true freshman at tight end, but he was splitting time between both positions rather than being a tight end exclusively. Then, he became a full-time wide receiver during his sophomore season under Brian Kelly.
Bech was recruited by and played for Ed Orgeron as a freshman at LSU, so the coaching change played a factor in his decision to transfer to TCU or leave LSU. He wasn’t a great fit in Kelly’s offense because Kelly prefers faster receivers who can win deep more consistently, i.e. Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., who both ran in the 4.3s last year. Bech also suffered some injuries...
