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Five dark horses who could make the Raiders 53-man roster

By Robert Ortiz

Sep 5, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Isaac Whitney (15) carries the ball against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Isaac Whitney (15) carries the ball against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 24, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Ishmael Zamora (8) runs after the catch by Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Devante Averette (40) during the second half at McLane Stadium. Baylor won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears wide receiver Ishmael Zamora (8) runs after the catch by Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Devante Averette (40) during the second half at McLane Stadium. Baylor won 35-24. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /

Ishmael Zamora, WR, Baylor

Not so much a darkhorse at this point with the multitude of hype surrounding him, Zamora is a 6’3″ 224-pound physical specimen at the wide receiver position who has day-two talent but fell to the UDFA ranks due to off-field issues.

And while certain pundits and less than reputable sites blasted Oakland for picking Zamora up as a free agent, Reggie has faith in the locker room he has built to keep players like Zamora on the straight and narrow. And for Zamora, his talent and pure receiving ability have been well documented, and his upside is immense.

That being said, he ran a limited route tree at Baylor( although he was dominant with said routes), and will need to fully develop and round out his game. With Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper entrenched as starters, that leaves a plethora of players to battle it out for slot duties, including last years incumbent slot starter Seth Roberts, second year UDFA Jaydon Mickens, and new free agent signee Cordarelle Patterson.

While Zamora has an uphill battle to make the roster, he should be able to make the cut if he continues to round out his game while showcasing his jaw-dropping athleticism as well as his penchant for making extremely tough grabs.

Sep 5, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Isaac Whitney (15) carries the ball against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 5, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Isaac Whitney (15) carries the ball against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

Isaac Whitney, WR, USC

While some may be surprised that I included two wide receivers, it’s more a hedging of bets. While Zamora is the better talent, former Trojan Isaac Whitney is no slouch himself. Measuring in at a hair under 6’3″ and 210 pounds, Whitney is a speed demon (4.34 40) who has a ton of special teams experience.

The former JUCO transfer from Riverside City College was a late bloomer out of HS, a 5’10” 165-pound cornerback as a junior who hit a growth spurt right before his senior year. After spending two seasons at D-II Central Oklahoma, Whitney played one year at RCC garnering All-American honors and nabbing a full ride to USC.

Suffering a broken collarbone his junior year, Whitney continued to work and took advantage of any opportunity presented him. With his athletic ability, combined with his propensity for special teams work, Whitney makes a strong case for making the practice squad at the very least.

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