The Las Vegas Raiders draft class has been roundly praised in the ‘grading’ days since it wrapped up on Saturday evening. But there was one pick that seems to have garnered raised eyebrows — Ole Miss defensive lineman JJ Pegues.
It isn’t because Pegues was a reach. He was graded as a fourth or fifth-round pick, and the Raiders got him in the 6th. It was more because of all the Raiders’ needs, the defensive line was low on the list. This was compounded by the fact that they had just drafted another defensive lineman right before they took Pegues.
What makes him intriguing is that the team may have a wholly other plan for him than stopping the run and rushing the passer.
Las Vegas Raiders To Convert DL To Fullback
The 6-foot-3, 310-pounder not only played defensive tackle for Ole Miss, he also saw significant time as a fullback, particularly in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He had 21 carries for 69 yards and 7 touchdowns as a fullback in 2024. His background as a tight end and running back at Ole Miss, as well as his versatility, led to comparisons to Taysom Hill.
The Raiders will likely use him in this way, but also as a situational lead blocker for their new hammerhead running back Ashton Jeanty. The Los Angeles Chargers similarly converted Scott Matlock from DL to fullback under the team’s first year under Jim Harbaugh.
Matlock ended up playing 162 snaps lined up in the offensive backfield. San Francisco and Baltimore have also found roles for fullbacks in their offense.