Oakland Raiders: 5 players to watch vs. Seattle Seahawks
By John Buhler
player. 28. . Safety. Washington State Cougars. Shalom Luani. 1
Overall, it’s been a good preseason for the Raiders’ two seventh-round draft picks. Defensive tackle Treyvon Hester has been a menace in the pass rush on the interior. Safety Shalom Luani has been an exciting watch in the back-end at safety.
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The former soccer player turned defensive back has made 13 tackles and has one pass defended in his three preseason games thus far.
Luani could have picked that ball off against the Cardinals, but it was a nice pass breakup nonetheless.
What sets Luani apart is his ability to get in position to make a play.
He has a knack for getting around the ball. Perhaps that has something to do with his background as a soccer player for the American Samoa national team?
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Luani’s hustle in the preseason should have the Raiders excited to know that they might have hit on a late-round pick out of Washington State. He is still a raw player, but a talented one. Playing in a game at home against the NFL’s Pacific Northwest franchise could be the spark that makes him go off.