Silver And Black Pride
Dylan Parham, Michael Mayer amongst second- and third-year players who can and must step up this coming season and beyond
Attention and interest is rightfully focused on draft season and free agency for the Las Vegas Raiders’ John Spytek and Pete Carroll.
The Silver & Black’s general manager and head coach, respectively, embark on their inaugural season steering the franchise in a new direction that — hopefully — results in sustained success.
As Spytek, Carroll, and the other decision makers in Las Vegas go about constructing a roster to their liking, it’s no wonder Raider Nation is eagerly anticipating what happens in free agency (which begins mid-March) and the 2025 NFL Draft. Those two primo events will help further shape the franchise’s future direction. And will likely have reverberating effects on the players currently on the roster and under contract.
With that in mind, let’s look at the Top 5 Raiders who are 25 years old and under who have the most to prove this coming season and beyond:
A waiver claim in late August from the Indianapolis Colts, the seventh-round pick (234th overall) in the 2024 draft didn’t get regular defensive snaps until Week 9, but when the defensive tackle produced and showed promise.
The 6-foot-5 and 292-pounder had standout performances against the Atlanta Falcons (five total tackles, one sack, one stop for loss, one quarterback hit) and against the Los Angeles Chargers (regular season finale, seven total tackles, one stop for loss, one quarterback hit) and finished with 35 total tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss, and a trio of pass deflections. The 24-year-old rookie played in all 17 games and started seven as he earned 475 defensive snaps (43 percent of the unit’s total) with 96 special teams snaps (20 percent of he unit’s total).
Picking up the rookie contract as part of the waiver claim, Laulu doesn’t cost much (960,000 cap number in 2025 and under contract until 2027) but will need to continue to showcase improved drive, power, and production as he embarks on Year 2 in the league in Las Vegas.
Throw into the fire as injuries decimated the defensive back room, the fourth-round pick (112th overall) in the 2024 draft got on-the-job training and experience as rookie. And it’ll be interesting to see how Richardson uses the growing pains from Year 1 into a Year 2 springboard.
Overcoming a hamstring injury, the 23-year-old was inactive the first five weeks of the 2024 campaign before jumping into heavy action from Week 11 on. Richardson played in 12 games starting seven and was targeted 46 times, according to Pro Football Reference. He was charted allowing 30 completions (65.2 percent) for 459 yards (312 air yards, 147 yards after catch) and three touchdowns. Quarterbacks throwing his way sported a 119.7 QB rating. Richardson finished with 46 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and three pass deflections.
With prototypical size at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds,...
