Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to their players under the age of 25, one NFL analyst has no love for what the Las Vegas Raiders have on their roster.
According to Aaron Schatz of ESPN, the Raiders’ group of players under the age of 25 is the second-worst in the NFL, with only the Miami Dolphins receiving a worse ranking.
Schatz believes Las Vegas’ tight ends, Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers, might be the best of the bunch. Schatz also mentions right tackle Thayer Munford Jr., guard Jackson Powers-Johnson, running back Zamir White and defensive lineman Tyree Wilson as the most notable players in the group.
The Raiders’ top two young guys may be tight ends: 21-year-old first-round pick Brock Bowers and 23-year-old Michael Mayer. The offensive line also features some young talent, with 24-year-old Thayer Munford Jr. at right tackle and 21-year-old second-round rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson possibly starting at left guard. Running back Zamir White doesn’t turn 25 until mid-September, barely making it to be counted for this list. With Josh Jacobs departing for Green Bay in the offseason, White will assume the starting role in 2024.
Defensive lineman Tyree Wilson, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 draft, is 24 years old this season and may play on the edge, the interior or both. He’s coming off a disappointing rookie season where he had only 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
One oversight by Schatz is not mentioning guard Dylan Parham, who is 24 and more deserving of being recognized than Munford Jr. after being a starter over his first two years in the league. Wide receiver Tre Tucker is another player who could have been mentioned after showing flashes during his rookie campaign in 2023.
If you include those two, the Raiders are looking a bit better, although it’s fair to not give Las Vegas a much higher ranking than the one Schatz gave.
After all, all of the players Schatz mentioned still have something to prove in the NFL. Granted, that is typically the case with players who are so young, but it’s especially true for the Raiders.
Bowers and JPJ haven’t played a snap in the NFL, Munford Jr. is about to embark on his first full season as a starter, Mayer was quiet in his first season, Wilson is coming off a disappointing rookie season and White is finally getting a starting opportunity after being blocked by Josh Jacobs for a season-plus.
Parham has established himself as a starting-caliber player, no doubt, but he’s got work to do if he wants to be more than that. Tucker is a promising young receiver but also needs to establish himself in his sophomore campaign.
Thankfully, the Raiders are going to be competitive because of their veteran talent, so not everything is riding on the youngsters. However, if the Raiders want to have sustained success, it goes without saying they need their young players to step up.
Author(s)
After cutting his teeth with Bleacher Report, Mike Moraitis has covered the Los Angeles Rams and Tennessee Titans for FanSided, and the Titans and New York Giants for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. On top of his duties with Sporting News, Mike is the managing editor and lead writer for Titans Wire.
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