What is the story about?
The Las Vegas Raiders saw around league average production from their rookie class last season, largely because of a struggle to see the field, or the team deciding to play aging veterans over them. 2025 saw Las Vegas select 11 rookies, and most took snaps for Las Vegas last season. With a roster seeing a large amount of turnover due to new coaches, the opportunities for some “sophomores” to take a jump & see more playtime is very likely.
RB Ashton Jeanty: Starting RB 2025: 17 Games (770 snaps) |
266 attempts, 975 yards (3.7 ypc), 5 TD, 55 rec, 346 yards, 5 TD, 81 forced missed tackles
- Jeanty, who turns 23 in December, is the Raiders clear cut starting runningback. While his production doesn’t pop off the charts, largely due to a very poor YPC he did add 10 total touchdowns, ranked 2nd among all runningbacks in forced missed tackles, 5th in breakaway rate, 6th in elusiveness, and 1st in yards after contact/attempt at 3.06 yards. The Raiders OL ranked 32nd in run blocking among basically every single metric, and almost broke the NFL record for YPC before contact at 0.17 (record is 0.14). As a team they ranked 22nd in rushing EPA, largely in part to Jeanty alone, and not the OL or schematics. Jeanty will see an improved OL in 2026, who added Tyler Linderbaum and is likely getting Jackson Powers-Johnson & Kolton Miller back from season ending injuries. Jeanty will have a rotation with 4th rounder Mike Washington, but he’s still the clear cut starter.
WR Jack Bech: Starting WR
2025: 16 games (344 snaps) | 20 rec, 224 yards, 3.5 YAC/reception, 55.6% contested catch (5/9), 4.8% drop rate
- Bech saw his production go up and down across the season, he logged a 23 yar reception in week one vs the Patriots in 4 snaps. Bech played nearly 60% of his snaps from week 13-18 after the team traded Jakobi Meyers, but he also saw snaps and targets taken away for Tyler Lockett. Bech finished his season with 6 receptions for 50 yards in week 14, 17 yards in week 15, and 43 yards in week 16. Bech did flash his route running, he ranked highly in separation for rookies (5th in the NFL), and Bech also had numerous moments where he was able to find space, and was either missed, not targeted, or Geno Smith was sacked. Bech is likely starting opposite of Tre Tucker, with Jalen Nailor in the slot. Bech works well in the 0-14 range, though he does have downfield speed ability. Bech has a good frame at 6’2/215, wins contested catches, and he’s a YAC specialist. He’s just 23, the room for development is still very high and Bech should see a decent volume of targets in 2026, but he’ll need to produce with those.
CB Darien Porter: Competition for Starting CB
2025: 17 games (607 snaps) | 42 tackles, 6 PBU, 16% missed tackle rate, 61% reception rate (19/31), 256 yards, 87.6 QBR allowed
- The Raiders didnt’ see Porter take a snap in week 1 or two, and he was largely a rotational player till week 14 when a torn ACL by Kyu Blu Kelly positioned Porter as the starter. Porter has the size and athleticism to be a high end starting CB in the NFL. He’s a little awkward at times, just given his size and lack of experience at CB. He’s 25 years old, posted a 9.99 RAS, and stands 6’4/200. Porter desperately will need to clean up his run defense, where he was a liability at times, getting out of position, taking poor angles, or having poor form. In coverage, Porter flashed his traits, with good zone instincts, he broke on the ball well, showed an ability to snap off coverages, played physical, and his lower body was extremely fluid. Porter is raw, even at 25 years old, but the Raiders are likely to roll into the season with Porter as the starter, or a high end 3rd corner if Jermod McCoy takes the starting spot opposite of Eric Stokes. Porter showed to be a consistent cornerback, he wasn’t targeted often, and also ranked top 5 among rookie DBs in EPA/target & separation allowed.
IOL Caleb Rogers: Competition for Starting G
2025: 6 games (284 snaps) | 179 PBLK snaps, 3 sacks, 3 hits, 11 pressures allowed, 4.1 YPC lead blocking
- Rogers didn’t see the field till week 13 vs the Chargers as an injury replacement. He’d go on to start the rest of the season with strong performances up till the last two weeks vs the Giants and Chiefs where he allowed 2 sacks, 2 hits, and 5 pressures in that span. Rogers has good athletic traits, he moves well in space, is powerful, has a great anchor, and he’ll be someone who can pull and get into space. Rogers will turn 25 in October, and the 6’5/310 pound guard can work both at LG, RG, and even some center or tackle if needed. The Raiders have some strong depth on their interior with Rogers, Spencer Burford, Jordan Meredith, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and rookie Trey Zuhn who will all be competing for two starting guard spots. Rogers is an elite athlete, he needs to add more technique in his hands, and he’ll need to do better with his power, but there’s a good chance to start in 2026 if he can develop, and win the battle. Should Rogers not start, then he’s likely to be the first one off the bench in case of injuries at C or G.
T Charles Grant: Swing Tackle – Competition to start at RT but very unlikely
2025: 11 games (59 snaps) | 26 PBLK snaps, 1 pressure allowed, 5.4 YPC lead blocking
- Grant, who the Raiders took out of William & Mary, needed some time to adjust to the NFL. The 24 year old has an exceptional frame, great understanding of hand combat, is a former wrestler, and is a quality athlete. Grant moves well, his footwork was advanced, and he mainly needed to add strength while also adjusting to the speed of the NFL. The Raiders didn’t see Grant take a snap till week 16 where he earned 6 snaps at LT in place of Stone Forsythe. Grant started week 18 vs the Chiefs at LT, in place of Forsyth, and his film was impressive. The former FCS product worked well in the run game, he was able to move in space well, and his hand combat flashed. Grant has experience at both LT and RT, and he’ll earn a chance to compete for the starting RT position with DJ Glaze, though Glaze likely will win due to his experience & ability to rebound to form in a wide zone system. Grant can be a capable swing tackle, and should an injury occur he won’t be asked to sit on the bench the entire season as he was last year.
WR Dont’e Thornton Jr: Rotational WR
2025: 15 games (398 snaps) | 10 rec, 135 yards, 3.8 YAC/reception, 20% contested catch (3/15), 17% drop rate
- Thornton has the size at 6’5/215 and he’s fast, but he also lacks a lot. Thornton doesn’t have a ton of traits, his hips are stiff, and as a result he’s not able to sink and drive on the ball in any capacity. Additionally, Thornton showed an incredibly poor ability to attack the ball in the air, he had below average hands in both contested catches & drop rates. He’s not a true YAC threat, largely for being stiff, didn’t create separation ranking 111th in the NFL, and his 0.53 Yards/Route Run was 4th from last. Thornton’s benefit is that Las Vegas has very little receiver depth, and did spend a fourth rounder on him just last year, but he’ll need to make massive strides to be someone who can be relied on. Thornton had the chance to start early in the season and slowly saw his snap counts disappear, along with his targets. Thornton won’t be an elite route runner, but finding ways to be subtle, become average in his lower body flexibility, and also being a competitive player at the POA with the ball will go a long way.
DT Tonka Hemingway: Starting DT
2025: 9 games (195 snaps) | 10 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 TFL, 7 QB Hits, PBU, FR, 11 pressures, 9.8% pass rush win rate, 6 run stops
- Hemingway had probably the most productive 195 snaps of most defensive tackles in the NFL. The 6’3/290 pound defensive tackle moved across the defensive line, working a bit at 4/5T and some at 3/2i, which is what he’s been good at his entire career extending back to South Carolina. Hemingway turns 25 in October, and he has an excellent chance to be a starter for them come week 1. Las Vegas likely will start Adam Butler at one of their defensive tackle spots, and both Jonah Laulu & Thomas Booker saw nearly 600 or more snaps last year, with Laulu being an anchor vs the run. Hemingway has an ability to anchor, though he’ll need to add more strength in his lower half and technique to improve as a run defender, which will help him get on the field earlier on. Hemingway is an incredible athlete, he moves well, has an elite first step, good bend, quick second step, and his hand combat skills are also noticeable which allow him to be a highly productive and efficient pass rusher. Hemingway has a wide open path to playtime this season, and he should take advantage of that. If Las Vegas can see similar production and efficiency from Hemingway this season, then it drastically changes the future outlook of their interior defensive line.
DT JJ Pegues: Competition for Starting NT or Rotational DT | Offensive Gadget Guy?
2025: 9 games (137 snaps) | 11 tackles, TFL, FR, 2 pressures, 3.2% pass rush win rate, 4 run stops
- Pegues has the size to play nose tackle, and it’s something he did at Ole Miss with nearly 700 snaps at 0, 1, or 2 Tech. Las Vegas only played Pegues there on 9 of his 137 snaps in 2025, though he logged a TFL and run stop in that time. He’s not a pass rusher, and lacks the athleticism to be such in the NFL. Pegues wins off power, and he anchors incredibly well. He’ll show good hand combat skills in the run game, is able to grapple and out leverage his blockers, and Pegues does have a good frame as well at 6’2/325 to take on multiple gaps. It’s unlikely Pegues ever stands out on the box score, but he showed a good ability to play low, use leverage, and use his strength to anchor vs the run. He’s a poor tackler, and will need to clean that up, where he’ll try to arm tackle at times and won’t wrap up leading to higher yardage on inside rushes through the A/B gaps. Pegues will have the ability to compete with Brandon Cleveland, Brodric Martin, and Gary Smith for the NT position, and he should have an inside track though Cleveland/Martin have played NT their entire career, where Pegues was asked to rotate across the DL. Pegues doesn’t provide much as a pass rusher, and he’d be a rotational run defender, which is why the fit at NT makes sense for him going forward. Additionally, the Raiders should get Pegues involved on some offensive fits, where he was a fun standout at Ole Miss with 31 rushes, 100 yards, and 7 TD along with 8 receptions, 51 yards, and a touchdown.
WR Tommy Mellott – Currently on Saints roster (released off roster during roster cuts)
QB Cam Miller – Currently on Dolphins roster (signed off Practice Squad in late 2025)
ILB Cody Lindenberg: Depth ILB & ST Starter
2025: 17 games (362 snaps – all ST) | 11 ST tackles, 1 missed ST tackle
- Lindenberg, is a good athlete, and I was a big fan of his prior to the 2025 NFL draft. He has prototypical NFL size at 6’3/240, and while the ceiling at LB isn’t overly high, he has a good floor as a player who can spot start and provide quality play at linebacker. He moves well, has an aggressive nature, has a good trigger and initial movement downhill vs the run. Lindenberg is a capable coverage linebacker, and the 24 year old does show good instincts as well. Despite that, he saw 0 defensive snaps, but he should have earned some over options such as Devin White & Jamal Adams, but Lindenberg did show out on special teams. He’s an aggressive downhill special teams player, he tackles well, has good instincts, and does best on kick returns. Lindenberg blocks well on kick returns for the Raiders, and he can also play the punt game as well. He’ll make the roster for his ST value, but also provides decent depth at linebacker. The room to make the roster at linebacker isn’t really a tough one for Lindenberg either, with the Raiders rather steep drop off from Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker.
CB Greedy Vance: Roster Battle
2025: 6 games (92 snaps) | 8 tackles, QB hit, PBU, 11% missed tackle rate, 77% reception rate (7/9), 69 yards, 98.6 QBR allowed
- Vance saw a little time as the Raiders NCB after the team moved on from Darnay Holmes with a peak of 35 snaps in week 17 and 22 in week 18. Vance doesn’t have the size or athleticism to really show the traits of being a consistent NCB in the NFL, he’s just 5’9/177 with a 4.61 40. Vance played the run well, he missed just one tackle, and he was adequate in coverage with good instincts, and he played physical despite the size concerns. The Raiders traded for Taron Johnson, who will start for them in the nickel, and also drafted Treydan Stukes & Dalton Johnson who both played in the slot at Arizona. Vance will really need to outplay those on the roster, and also standout on special teams, but with Las Vegas having five CB on the roster as is, it may be for not unless they want to carry 6 cornerbacks.
DT Treven Ma’ae: Push for Bottom of Roster Spot
2025: No Production – Practice Squad
- Ma’ae had a strong spring with a 17% pass rush win rate, 7 tackles, 2 TFL, and a sack. He has the versatility to play across the DL with nearly 300+ collegiate snaps at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 technique from his time at Baylor. Ma’ae has a good frame, at 6’3/291 and the 24 year old has ample opportunities with the Raiders weaker interior defensive line to push for the roster. I wouldn’t expect a ton from Ma’ae in 2026, that’s if he can make the roster, but he’s a capable pass rusher, can anchor well vs the run, and does provide versatility along with athleticism to be a designated stunt/loop player.
EDGE Jahfari Harvey: Competition for Potential 5th EDGE
2025: 2 games (27 snaps) | 1 tackles, PBU, 5% pass rush win rate, 33% missed tackle rate
- Ok I know the missed tackle rate is scary, but he did miss one tackle on 3 attempts. Harvey signed with the Raiders as a UDFA and he has a good frame at 6’4/255. The former SMU standout saw 27 snaps, and his chance to make the roster did increase with the team releasing Charles Snowden earlier this month. Harvey has a good first step, his hands are violent, and he’s an experienced player. It’ll be a tough room to fight through, with Brennan Jackson & Cian Slone both likely above him in the standing. Harvey needs to improve as a run defender, something he struggled with back in college, but if Las Vegas carries 5 pass rushers, he has a chance to push through with Jackson coming off a foot injury, and Slone a UDFA.
TE Carter Runyon: Competition for Roster Spot
2025: 13 games (46 snaps) | 1 rec, 3 yards, 4.2 YPC lead blocking
- Runyon didn’t really see much time last season for Las Vegas, he played in 13 games, though largely on special teams, but there’s a really good path for him to make the Raiders 53 man roster this season. Runyon, a standout from Towson, has an elite frame at 6’6/240 and he blocks well. Runyon was used as an extra tackle at some points where in 11 snaps he didn’t allow a pressure (while actually blocking as a T). Runyon fired off the line of scrimmage, he’s physical, uses his full frame in the block, and has good strength and size. Runyon was a capable receiver in college & the pre-season, he moves well, is a phenomenal athlete, and in the last three seasons has just 3 drops and 8 non converted contested catches (47 total targets). Ian Thomas is a veteran, has built a career as a blocker, though he struggled last season. Additionally, the Raiders do have Patrick Gurd who’s a true blocker, and Albert Okwuegebunam, who provides full value as a big slot/Y TE. There’s a path for Runyon if he can add more as a blocker than the others.
