The Las Vegas Raiders have made significant strides in shaping their roster through the recent NFL draft, focusing on enhancing their offense to address past deficiencies. Ashton Jeanty – Boise State One of the most versatile players in the class, Jeanty amassed 1,733 yards after contact. Meanwhile, Jack Bech is toughness personified, a prototypical fit for the team’s self-proclaimed culture. Both players are projected to be key contributors in returning the Raiders to their usual competitive selves.
Ashton Jeanty, picked six overall in the rookie draft, has made Heisman hopefuls take note. His ability to make plays in a variety of ways though is what makes him a game changer. Jeanty fulfills a big need for the Raiders. When Las Vegas found themselves on the clock, he was the best player available. Take a look at last season, when the Raiders averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Jeanty’s arrival is big for them to help establish their ground game.
Fourth-round draft pick Jack Bech is expected to give them an instant boost. Bucking the trend for his position, Bech’s profile is headlined by his nasty demeanor, a trait that head coach Pete Carroll loves to see in his players. His indomitable spirit comes through even further following the unexpected death of his beloved wife. Seven days into the new year, a terror attack in New Orleans claimed the life of his brother, Tiger Bech. This context makes Bech’s fierce competitive streak even more interesting as he joins the Raiders.
Tommy Mellott, a sixth-round pick, is considered a good developmental guy. Along with him, young wide receiver Thornton has upside as a long-term, developmental player in the pass-catching group. This strategic focus on youth and development is designed to help them build a more skilled, smart and diverse offensive core.
Add in their recent draft strategy and you can see their commitment to building a powerful offensive front. John Spytek, the team’s chief executive, shared confidence in their unorthodox approach.
“I felt like the strategy that we approached it with and the manner in which we accomplished it was really solid. And now we’ll just see.” – John Spytek
Additionally, Spytek explained the need of having a commanding presence like a quarterback out in front. He stated,
“We like our offensive line and how it’s coming together. And then obviously putting the quarterback back there that can lead and rally the guys and play tough and make good decisions and then throw the ball really to all levels of the field.” – John Spytek
Bringing in Jeanty would make a big difference in improving the team’s rushing attack. The team would like nothing more than to atone for last year’s disastrous end. His mind-blowing numbers prove his skill to produce in pivotal moments and find success through first contact.
Carroll understood the importance of working a strong run game into their full offensive scheme, something that further protects their inexperienced quarterback in the process.
“And that’s the play-action game. It’s all of the stuff that comes off of the run game and doesn’t draw any focus on the quarterback. … We’re trying to make it easier on the quarterback because his job is the hardest in professional sports. So, this is the key way to get that done.” – Pete Carroll
Jack Bech’s addition perfectly augments Jeanty’s multidimensional skill set. According to Carroll, Bech’s versatility will allow him to contribute in various capacities as he adjusts to the professional level.
“He’s tough as you get as a receiver. We’ll find [a] spot for him, but we see him as versatile and we’re counting on him to do a number of things.” – Pete Carroll
Seemingly every time you think their wide receiver room should be set, questions remain. Of these four players, only Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker and Kyle Philips have over 10 career receptions. The annual addition of brilliant young talent through the draft should help to develop depth and alternative plans for their offense’s success.
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