From Charleston to Canada to Las Vegas: Tyreik McAllister's winding path to the Raiders' roster

Aug 29, 2024 at 01:47 PM

Carter Owen

Digital Content Associate

Tyreik McAllister took a bit of a different path to get to the NFL – one that involved playing a new position and traveling to a new country.

McAllister grew up in Latta, South Carolina, a place he describes as a small community, where everybody knows everybody. He wasn't heavily recruited coming out of high school and spent a year at Palmetto Prep, a prep school in Columbia, South Carolina, before heading to West Virginia to play at Division II University of Charleston.

Through two seasons as a wide receiver, he totaled 42 receptions for 469 yards (11.2 avg.).

Then came a plan from the coaching staff. Get McAllister more touches.

That meant a transition from receiver to running back, a position he had never played. In 10 games as a junior, McAllister totaled 1,199 yards on 164 carries (7.3 avg.) – the then-third highest single-season mark in school history – and 11 touchdowns. He also set the school's single-game rushing record of 355 yards in a contest against West Liberty.

Regardless of his role or position, finding a way to make an impact has been the story of McAllister's football career thus far.

After going undrafted in 2022, he signed with the Denver Broncos and spent the season on and off the practice squad. Then, he got an offer to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. It wasn't an easy choice to make, but one that has paid off.

"Making that move, it was difficult, but I feel like it's the best decision I ever made in my life," the receiver said.

McAllister ended up leading the CFL in kickoff return average and all-purpose yards in 2023. He emphasized how important the opportunity was because it afforded him a chance to play and gave NFL front offices professional game film to evaluate, something he didn't get much of with Denver.

"Hats off to Champ Kelly and his staff here that signed him before I got here," said General Manager Tom Telesco. "They saw something in him in the CFL. He signed as a future before I arrived and what those guys saw is what you're seeing on the field right now."

In addition to his potential role on special teams, McAllister is transitioning back to receiver with the Silver and Black. What the Raiders staff saw throughout training camp was steady improvement that culminated in a breakout performance in the team's final preseason game versus San Francisco.

He returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown, caught two passes for 56 yards and another score, and added one rush for seven yards. His 291 all-purpose yards in the preseason ranked second in the NFL.

"During training camp, just continuing to work, I felt like I was getting better and better every day," McAllister said. "Going through this process, it was tough, but I felt like I did a pretty good job during camp, during the preseason. I was pretty confident going into this weekend, but you never know in this league."

That performance, in addition to the body of work McAllister had shown throughout camp, was enough to earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Even with his confidence in his performance, it wasn't immediately clear to McAllister that he had made his first active roster in the NFL.

"Actually, I didn't find out until I got to the building," he said. "I was waiting because you get that call, but I never got a call or text from anyone. I knew we had a meeting [Tuesday] at 1:00, so I'm like, 'Man, let me just go to the building and see what's going on.' I got here and I was here. That's about it."

Once it was clear he made the team, McAllister's first calls were to his mother and father.

"She was just so excited she almost cried," he said with a smile. "I think she probably did cry when I got off the phone.

"They know the hard work that I've put in and the tough times that I've been through to get here. Just making the 53-man roster, from where I come from, that's a big accomplishment."

Having earned his spot, McAllister's next challenge will be to work hard to keep his role and do what got him here: make an impact in any way possible.

"McAllister's role on offense is still to be determined," Pierce said. "But we know what he can do. We've all seen that, and he did that even as a kickoff returner. I think he's going to do a really good job."

Regardless of whether he's in the backfield, lined up at receiver or working on the return team, McAllister's winding journey to the Silver and Black will suit him well when his name is called.

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Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Amari Gainer (53) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.