Diving into showings from Raiders rookies through first half of 2024 season

Nov 09, 2024 at 10:00 AM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

A bright spot for the 2024 Raiders has been a surge of youth showing up when their numbers are called.

Of the Silver and Black's 2024 draft class, three players have earned starting jobs on offense with a few others receiving more playing time throughout the season. Following the Week 10 bye week, the team will continue looking for ways to get them involved and seeing what can provide in the future.

Here's a recap of how they've played through the first half of their rookie seasons.

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— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 8, 2024

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First-round sensation

Brock Bowers has been nothing short of exceptional since putting on a Raiders uniform.

The No. 13 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had high exceptions considering his body of work at the University of Georgia. However through nine games, he's not only proved he's worth the hype – but has looked outright dominant at times.

The lone two-time John Mackey award winner is on a historic pace in his rookie campaign, as his 57 receptions are the most in NFL history by any tight end in their first nine career games. Additionally, he's leading all NFL tight ends in receiving yards (580) while also being tied for team-lead in receiving touchdowns (two).

"We knew we were getting a blue chipper," Antonio Pierce on Bowers. "I mean, he did it day one at Georgia, when he walked on campus. And he did it each and every game, each and every year. And he got here in rookie minicamp, and he got pads on at training camp. ... Then we slowed him down a little bit because he was pushing himself.

"And to be honest, I mean we knew what we got, just didn't want to speak on it until he did it," he continued. "Now it's out there and there's no hiding it. He's a really good football player, he's tough, he loves the game. He doesn't care how he looks, how he talks, he just wants to play ball, and that fits our mentality."

Emerging in the trenches

Along with Bowers, second and third round picks Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze have played meaningful snaps this season.

DJ Glaze, offensive tackle from Maryland, stepped in on the right side in Week 3 for an injured Thayer Munford Jr. and hasn't looked back since. The situation was reminiscent to Glaze handling starting duties in training camp with Munford out for a few weeks with an hand injury.

The rookie tackle has now started the last six games, not missing a single offensive snap since coming in against the Carolina Panthers. Additionally, he hasn't allowed a sack since Week 5.

Powers-Johnson, unanimous All-American from Oregon, has eased back into action after missing the majority of training camp with several injuries. His presence has been welcomed to the offensive line with his return, also starting in the last six games alongside Glaze.

While initially being drafted to play guard – he stepped in at center for an injured Andre James, the position he won the Rimington Trophy Award for playing in college. In his Week 9 start at center, he finished with a 90.6 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus without surrendering a single pressure to the Cincinnati Bengals.

"They've done a great job, man. We throw a lot at them," quarterback Gardner Minshew on the two rookie linemen. "It's not easy what we're doing in the run game and in the pass game, but they're handling it really well. Stepped in and played [against] some really good players over this stretch of games and done well. Maintained confidence, a little bit of swagger.

"That's why I feel really good about them moving forward as they have that confidence and that belief. And I think the line is still getting tighter, man. I think we've had a lot of different combinations and guys in there, and the communication is really starting to get tighter."

Learning to fly

Defensive rookies Tommy Eichenberg, Decamerion Richardson and Trey Taylor have all showed flashes throughout training camp, however injuries have played stalemate during the regular season.

Richardson, the fourth-rounder from Mississippi State and Jim Thorpe Award winner Trey Taylor have carved roles for themselves on special teams, appearing in a combined six games coming back from injuries. Richardson is also starting to see an uptick in playing time at outside cornerback, seeing 28 snaps in Week 9.

Eichenberg has also found ample playing time on special teams and started one game this season in aide of injuries to Divine Deablo and Luke Masterson. The fifth-rounder from Ohio State has racked up 10 tackles in six games this season.

Two more rookies still working diligently to find bigger roles are running back Dylan Laube and UDFA linebacker Amari Gainer. Laube, a top FCS prospect from New Hampshire, has played in three games this season. Gainer, who led the team in tackles this preseason, has played in all nine games this season. He's been one of the team's more reliable special teams gunners, with 204 snaps on special teams and three total tackles.

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A view of Paycor Stadium before the Las Vegas Raiders' regular season away game against the Cincinnati Bengals.