Raiders: What does Las Vegas have in WR Dillon Stoner?
With the 2021 season all wrapped up, the Raiders enter the offseason in need of some receiving talent. Just what does Dillon Stoner offer?
The Las Vegas Raiders are in desperate need of receiver help, specifically, someone who can create plays. While the likelihood of reaching stardom is slim to none, Oklahoma State’s Dillon Stoner might just be what the doctor ordered as far as creating explosive plays go.
In college, Stoner showed the skill to locate deep throws as well as the hands to haul them in, even with defenders draped all over him. Pair that with his abilities as an open field runner, and you get a player that impressed Vegas enough to earn a post-draft deal.
In his senior year, the undrafted WR had the game of his life against Baylor at the end of the season. Stoner would finish this matchup with 247 receiving yards and 3 TDs.
The real negative with Stoner lies in the route running department. He neither has the best footwork on routes nor has a good feel for creating space. With this in mind, Stoner won’t be an every down receiver; Something he really doesn’t have to be.
In the preseason, he was able to haul in five passes for 91 yards, once again showing his deep prowess with two 20+ yard plays.
Although Vegas would fall to San Francisco in a 24 point loss during week 3 of the preseason, Stoner had a big game. He was able to haul in three passes, all of which were first downs.
Both of those 20+ yarders can be found in this game too. He made sure he used his body to ward off the defender on the first of the two, resulting in an easy catch downfield. The second came on a 3rd and 15, where QB Nathan Peterman ran the scramble drill and found him in space along the sideline.
Of course, this was just with Nathan Peterman – Never mind the quarterback with the 2nd most > 25-yard passing plays in the NFL, Derek Carr (41).
Spending a majority of his rookie year on the practice squad, Stoner was still able to get some run in the pros. During the 2021 season, he would appear in 6 NFL games, tallying 21 offensive snaps along with 60 on special teams.
While Stoner surely won’t fix this receiving corps single-handedly, don’t count him out as a depth piece that can make things happen.
Stoner signed a future reserves contract to stay with the team in January of 2022.