Last year, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels stood at the podium and said, “It’s not about how you got here, it’s about what you do when you get here.” The team kept four rookie undrafted free agents—all on defense.
Darien Butler, Luke Masterson, Sam Webb and Isaiah Pola-Mao made the 53-man roster. Among them, Masterson played the most snaps in the regular season (30.52 percent). All four will have an opportunity to build on their rookie season, though they’ll compete against another hungry bunch for roster spots this offseason.
As is the case every year, the drafted rookies will appear in training camp headlines, but the coaching staff will uncover a few undrafted gems.
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Coming out of the 2023 draft, the Raiders still have holes to fill along the offensive line and across the defense, which ranked 26th in scoring and gave up the fifth-most yards for the 2022 campaign.
Especially at positions of need, some of the unheralded prospects who didn’t hear their names called during the draft can make an immediate impact in Vegas. We’ve narrowed the list down to the top three rookie undrafted free agents who could make the 53-man roster for the 2023 regular season.
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McClendon Curtis, guard
In somewhat of a surprise, the Raiders didn’t draft an offensive lineman. Though they re-signed Alex Bars and Netane Muti, neither veteran player projects as a lock to make the regular-season roster.
McClendon Curtis isn’t going to face stiff competition in a potential training camp battle for a starting job at guard.
Last offseason, Vegas waived Bars and then re-signed him to the practice squad. The club didn’t sign him to the active roster until October. He allowed the second-most pressures (38) on the team in 2022, per Pro Football Focus. Muti has started in just four games in three seasons.
With center Andre James and guard Dylan Parham in line to start in the upcoming campaign, Curtis has a shot at surpassing Bars and Muti for first-string reps at guard.
For most of his first three years as a starter at Chattanooga, Curtis lined up at right guard before he became the program’s primary left tackle for his senior campaign.
At 6-6, 324 pounds with 35-inch arms, Curtis looks like a human wall on the interior with the length to steer defensive tackles out of pass-rushing lanes. He also has a good understanding of how to use his arm length for leverage, which is on full display in his pass-blocking sets. On the flip side, he does need to show more awareness in zone-blocking assignments.
Curtis comes out of an FCS program, but he has a wealth of playing experience (38 starts), which makes him a candidate to carve out an early role with the starters.
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Adam Plant, defensive end
Malcolm Koonce may not be anything more than a special teamer under the current coaching staff. Keep in mind that the previous regime selected him in the third round of the 2021 draft. In 2023, he only played six percent of the defensive snaps and 57 percent of the snaps on special teams.
Eventually, Tyree Wilson will overtake Chandler Jones for a majority of the snaps on the edge opposite of Maxx Crosby, but the Raiders may see a strong battle for the fourth edge-rusher spot.
Along with Koonce, veteran Jordan Willis will try to soak up the remaining snaps behind Crosby, Jones and Wilson, but don’t sleep on Adam Plant.
Plant isn’t on this list because he’s coming out of UNLV. As a local product, he has an intriguing story, but the 6-5, 263-pounder had a breakout 2022 season, recording up 62 tackles, 13.5 for loss, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Wilson won’t be ready to take the field until training camp at the earliest as he recovers from foot surgery, which leaves enough room for another defensive end to flash through mandatory minicamp practices in June. Plant could make a strong initial impression with extra spring reps on the edge.
Jaydon Grant, safety
The Raiders drafted safety Christopher Smith in the fifth round, though they can make room for another playmaker at the position since Patrick Graham tends to field three safeties. Last season, Graham utilized Johnathan Abram, Duron Harmon and Tre’von Moehrig in a variety of looks. After the team waived Abram, Roderic Teamer saw a significant increase in his role.
Assuming Moehrig, Smith and Marcus Epps lock up the top three safety spots, Jaydon Grant can compete with Teamer, Jaquon Johnson and Isaiah Pola-Mao for the remaining snaps at the position.
In 2022, Pola-Mao had some flashes, but Grant’s ball production may help him surpass the former on the depth chart.
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In each of his last four collegiate seasons, Grant recorded at least two interceptions, and he broke up 12 passes over the past two years. The Raiders need defensive backs who can track the ball in the air, which is probably why they signed the Oregon State product.
Similar to Smith, Grant isn’t fleet of foot with a fast 40-yard dash time (4.72 seconds), but he’s shown great instincts and usually gets in position to make a play on the ball.
Over the last two years, the Raiders have recorded the fewest interceptions (12). If they want to see that unit finally turn things around, their defensive backs must force more turnovers, and Grant can do that on the pro level.
Maurice Moton covers the Raiders for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @MoeMoton.