A group of young players arrived to the Raiders practice facility this week ready to start a new chapter in their football journeys.
The Raiders' two-day rookie minicamp has begun and in addition to the Raiders' eight draft picks and 17 undrafted free agents, a few first-year players and tryout players are also participating. The first practice was held Friday, with the rookies beginning to learn the NFL ropes from Head Coach Antonio Pierce and the coaching staff.
"Learning, we're in elementary school," Pierce said of the vibe of rookie minicamp. "How we do things, the Raider way, the Raider culture, the mindset, how we play football, how we practice, how we study. They're doing that now in the classroom. ... A bunch of eager players, and I think for us, just get to know one another. We talked about trust, accountability and process with these guys yesterday, and continue to grow that and get them accustomed to not only the coaches but the rest of players on our roster."
Here are a few notes and quotes from the first day of rookie minicamp.
- Yes, it's early, but Brock Bowers showed a small glimpse of what he can provide in open field. The rookie tight end's route-running abilities looked crisp. "One of the things I do best is the yards after catch and being able to get vertical after I get the ball," said Bowers. "They have a great culture here already so I can't wait to melt in and do my things and get to work."
- DJ Glaze revealed that he and Jackson Powers-Johnson are roommates during rookie minicamp, with the plan of the two draftees leaning on each other through Training Camp. "We came out here willing to work," Glaze said. "Yesterday, me and him were talking about what we were going through in the meetings. We're ready to work and get after it. He's going to learn, ask questions. I like being around people who want to do that."
- You can tell out the gate that Powers-Johnson wants to assert his will, even if it's rookie minicamp. During individual drills and team period, his aggression off the line of scrimmage was on display. He compared his play-style to the demeanor and passion of Raider Nation: "You want fans who are ready to go. They embody the kind of physicality you want to play with."
- Carter Bradley is the lone quarterback at rookie minicamp, coming from South Alabama as a UDFA. He completed a few nice balls to the likes of Bowers, Tulu Griffin and Ramel Keyton throughout team period.
- Dylan Laube, like Bradley, was the lone member of his rookie position group. He got some one-on-one work with new running backs coach Carnell Williams during individual period.
- On the defensive side of the ball, edge rusher Ron Stone Jr. and Jim Thorpe Award winner Trey Taylor both seemed to showcase a fluidity and smoothness to their game during team period.
- Fourth-rounder Decamerion Richardson spoke with the media for the first time since he was selected by the Raiders. He expressed his excitement to officially get on the field and believes he can earn a role on the Silver and Black in due time: "Going up against taller receivers, even shorter receivers, it's hard to get around me with my length and my speed helps me also."
View the best photos from the first day of rookie minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.