In the NFL, a player’s third season is often considered the “make-or-break” year for their career. So, it isn’t terribly surprising that the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2024 draft class as a whole has something to prove during training camp this summer. However, outside of Brock Bowers, there’s a decent chance that the seven other players the Raiders selected that year become obscure on the roster.
Las Vegas has already moved on from seventh-round picks Trey Taylor and M.J. Devonshire. Taylor played on special
teams for nine games during his rookie season before getting cut after last year’s training camp, and he hasn’t landed anywhere else. Meanwhile, Devonshire spent a year on the practice squad before getting let go after the 2025 draft, and he’ll be spending the summer trying to make the Green Bay Packers’ roster.
To be fair, no one expects much from players who were drafted that late anyway. But even second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson’s future with the club is murky right now. He’s been a starter over the last two years but has battled injuries and been inconsistent, leading to a massive position battle for the Oregon product to remain with the first-team offense.
With Tyler Linderbaum in the fold, Powers-Johnson already isn’t going to be playing his preferred position at center. Instead, he’ll be competing with Spencer Burford, Caleb Rogers, Jordan Meredith and Trey Zuhn III for one of two open starting spots at guard. If we’re setting the odds, JPJ is one of the favorites to win that battle. But with four other competitors, there’s a realistic chance that he’s relegated to backup duties, and it doesn’t help that the current general manager and head coach aren’t the ones who drafted him.
Along the same lines, DJ Glaze has been a starter over the last two years but has struggled to find his footing, especially in pass protection. According to Pro Football Focus, the third-round pick has allowed 99 pressures (13 sacks) in his career so far, opening the door for 2025 third-rounder Charles Grant to take over at right tackle. An argument could be made that Grant is the better fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense, creating more uncertainty surrounding Glaze’s status.
Then there’s Decamerion Richardson, whose goose may already be cooked. While Richardson had a few bright moments as a rookie, he was just a special teamer in year two and only saw the field defensively in the Raiders’ Week 18 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Since drafting the Mississippi State product, the organization has added four notable cornerbacks to the roster: Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Masses. That makes Richardson a cut candidate this summer.
Fifth-round pick Tommy Eichenberg has a chance to carve out a role as the third linebacker in Las Vegas, which is significant given Nakobe Dean’s injury history. Also, Quay Walker hasn’t played a full season since his rookie year and is still a bit of a project. That boosts Eichenberg’s odds of staying relevant on the roster; however, 2025 seventh-rounder Cody Lindenberg seemed to have the better spring practice session. The Bergs are set to duke it out for the aforementioned third linebacker spot during training camp.
Finally, it already looks like Dylan Laube will continue to have a very minor role on the offense this season. He has just eight carries and three catches so far in his career, while Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington Jr. are expected to be the one-two punch in Las Vegas’ backfield for the next few years. Laube does offer value as a special teamer, especially in the return game, but so does Dareke Young, Tre Tucker, Malik Benson and a few other players on the roster to give the team more options.
Long story short, Bowers might be the Raiders’ only significant contributor from the 2024 draft class moving forward, adding to the long list of underwhelming hauls for the organization.
