Jon Gruden has a reputation for favoring veteran players, but with general manager Mike Mayock running the Raiders’ personnel department, that reputation may vanish.
The Raiders were the oldest team in the NFL a year ago, but are now the ninth-youngest, according to Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski. Mayock joined the team in January, replacing former GM Reggie McKenzie.
Selecting three first-round draft picks certainly helped usher in the youth movement. In all, eight of Mayock’s draft picks made the initial 53-man roster.
Four undrafted rookies made the final cut as well, however. Including cornerback Keisean Nixon, who joins a position with three rookies in Nixon, Isaiah Johnson and Trayvon Mullen. Oakland’s starters at CB, Gareon Conley and Daryl Worley are just 24 years old.
All three of Oakland’s first-round picks will start for the club. Punter A.J. Cole is an undrafted rookie, as is the only fullback on the roster, Alec Ingold. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, a fifth-round pick, is expected to contribute from the slot.
With high-priced free-agent signings for the Raiders, most notably wide receiver Antonio Brown and offensive tackle Trent Brown, it’s easy to forget a rebuild is in progress; it appears the Raiders want to win now and infuse the roster with youth simultaneously. If that’s to happen, this rookie class and other young players must be more than just young — they need to be young and good.
