Understandably, Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, Dwayne Haskins, Quinnen Williams, and many more have dominated the 2019 NFL Draft discussions. Each player is expected to be a high first-round pick, but as any NFL head coach or general manager will tell you, it's imperative that team's hit on all their picks, and not just the first round.
Thursday afternoon, the Oakland Raiders hosted a local pro day at the team's facility in Alameda, Calif., for prospects that either grew up or attended college within a 50-mile radius. The main draws were players from Stanford, California Berkeley, UC Davis, and San Jose State. While the group of almost 40 players probably won't be drafted on Day One, it's important to get extra face time with the coaching staff in case they're selected at a later point of the Draft.
Following the pro day, former Heisman Trophy candidate Bryce Love spoke with the media, as well as UC Davis wide receiver Keelan Doss.
"Honestly I knew the process was going to be long, but it's a fun one and you only get to do it once," Doss said when asked about the evaluation process. "It's long, and it might be tiring at points, but next year you're not going to be doing this, you're either going to be working out or just chilling for the most part. Being able to go to Mobile and experiencing the [Senior Bowl] and going to the Combine — even though I wasn't able to participate — but still being down there and witnessing that whole thing. It's been a grind, but it's been a fun one."
Love and Doss had different college experiences, Love played at Stanford while Doss played at UC Davis; however, both have dealt with their fair share of limitations through the evaluation process.
Love is recovering from an ACL injury, which has kept him on the sideline, unable to participate in many of the NFL's event-based drills. Doss — who was a member of the Raiders' North roster at the Senior Bowl — missed out on many of the Combine activities due to a pec injury, but both are grateful to get another opportunity to meet with the Raiders coaching staff.
"Being able to let my film speak for itself and showcasing the mental aspect," Love shared with the media. "Beyond that, just being able to do the things that I can do. Obviously, you dream of being able to do the Combine, pro day, days like this, but that's just not how it worked out. At the end of the day I'm a mental giant in terms of just looking on to the next [thing] and focusing on what I got to focus on."
Doss and Love were just two of the many local prospects in attendance who were able to showcase their mental fortitude, and share a little bit more about who they are as individuals. It'll be interesting to see where the duo, and the rest of the prospects, end up by the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft.
With the Draft just two weeks away, remember to stay tuned to raiders.com for more news and updates.
