The Las Vegas Raiders approached the 2025 NFL Draft with a responsible strategy, adding talent without reaching for players and addressing key roster needs, including the offensive line, running back, and wide receiver. General manager John Spytek employed creative methods to achieve these goals.
Recognizing that the Raiders have struggled with one of the league’s least effective rushing attacks in recent seasons, and having started four different running backs over the past two years, the team prioritized bolstering its offensive line.
Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Line Will Be Hotly Contested Heading Into 2025 Season
To that end, the Raiders made two trades to move down in the middle rounds of the draft, subsequently selecting offensive linemen Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant. Spytek elaborated on the team’s plan for these additions at the post-draft press conference: “We really see Caleb [Rogers] trying to work in on the inside spots. And so, the chance to get Charles [Grant] to be a tackle, we’ll find out if he can play on both sides. He played a lot of left tackle and looked really good doing that.”
Grant will compete for the right tackle position, joining incumbent DJ Glaze, a 2024 third-round pick. Meanwhile, left tackle Kolton Miller has expressed interest in a new contract, potentially adding complexity to the line’s configuration. The Raiders’ interior offensive line is currently expected to feature Alex Cappa, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Dylan Parham, and Jordan Meredith, with Caleb Rogers now adding to that competition.
Spytek emphasized that the newly drafted offensive linemen will be immediately immersed in a competitive environment.
“We do not hold them back and keep them out of the out of the fire. We’re going to put them in there right away and let them see where they stack up and make sure that the competition is really the theme that they’re living with. And so, with Caleb, I’m looking right off the bat as him being an inside guy and Charles being an outside guy,” Spytek stated. This approach aligns with Spytek’s stated goal of fostering a more competitive locker room, where the rookie offensive linemen will have the opportunity to compete for starting or rotational roles.