Dylan Laube has already seen plenty of players come and go during his young career with the Las Vegas Raiders. Now headed into Year 3 in the NFL, however, hopes have never been higher for the Silver and Black after a hefty batch of fresh faces were brought into the locker room this offseason.
For as much praise as John Spytek and the front office have gotten for their acquisitions in recent months, fans haven't exactly been privy to how things are going behind the scenes. But Laube can attest first-hand to the fact that things are changing in Las Vegas due to this immense talent influx.
Through Graphk Raider, Just Blog Baby had the great fortune to interview Laube ahead of OTAs. He talked not only about his stuttering journey and relishing in a new lease on life under Klint Kubiak and Co., but about teammates like Fernando Mendoza, Kirk Cousins, Ashton Jeanty and more.
And it's safe to say that Laube is as high on them as anyone.
Las Vegas Raiders RB Dylan Laube talks Fernando Mendoza, Ashton Jeanty, Kirk Cousins and more
During the interview, Laube's excitement about his new teammates and the upcoming season was tangible. He spoke about some of the conversations currently going on between players in Las Vegas, and how he feels that this current Raiders team has the right people and mindset to succeed.
“Someone was saying, ‘I’ve come in now, the last month, and I love coming in because everyone in the building is just so positive right now, and everyone is just so excited. From every player, to the new guys on staff, everyone is so fired up.' And I think it’s with the new rookies, the new additions, to everyone that came back, everyone’s buying in right now," Laube explained. "And it is so crucial because culture is so hard to make in the NFL because you get guys that are cut every single day. You get new players that come in; it’s just so hard in this era of NIL now, where there’s no more culture (in college), either. When I was playing in college, I was at the same school for 5.5 years, and we built a culture. So now, it’s so hard when they’re trying to instill a culture. But if you have guys that buy in, which everyone is, those are the championship teams. The selfless teams are the championship teams, man. I’m hoping, and I truly believe, this is the team to do it. Of course, we got a lot of young guys, too. A young receiving corps, there’s going to be some ups and downs. But at the same time, I think this is a new era for the Silver and Black.”
Try not getting pumped up after reading that response.
Of course, Mendoza was the crown jewel of the offseason for the Silver and Black as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Laube, like most, doesn't know the exact plan with him and doesn't want to put too much pressure on the young player. But his initial impressions of Mendoza have been very strong.
“I don’t know what they have planned for him, but just seeing him this last week or so (has been exciting)," Laube noted. "The coolest thing was after he got drafted, he came to Vegas (and) he actually texted every single person personally, ‘Hey man, super excited to get to work with you. It’s going to be fun, I can’t wait to build a culture with everyone.’ Him reaching out at a young age to every single person, either on the offense or the whole team, it just shows the type of person that he truly is. He wants to be a leader on this team, and he has to be.”
Now, this doesn't necessarily shock Laube, nor most people reading this. But it is still good for Raider Nation to hear that their franchise quarterback is not just "as advertised" on the field, as Kubiak described him. Mendoza is exactly the person and leader that this fanbase thinks he is as well.
“Exactly that. Exactly (what you see on TV)," Laube said. "Quirky, weird type of guy, but just means so well. Such a nice guy, and he just embraces himself. I’m a weird guy, too, but he embraces it. And those are the best type of guys. Can’t be fake.”
In terms of his on-field prowess thus far, however, Mendoza has made his mark in just a few short practices with the veterans. Laube went on to praise the No. 1 pick's throwing ability and the energy that he has brought to the team in the early going.
"Just seeing him throw, it’s a beautiful ball, man," Laube added. "To be honest, I’m not going to lie, he’s a big dude. In person, you’re like ‘Oh, (expletive)!’ He’s a big person. He’s super energetic. It’s cool seeing him around because he’s such a carefree guy, too, and he just appreciates everyone and is just super appreciative of being there.”
It is anyone's guess as to when Mendoza will take the reins and start in his rookie season, if at all. But the new version of the Silver and Black is more process-oriented than teams of the past, so they aren't in a rush to get to the future or beginning with the end in mind, as Spytek loves to say.
Laube brought up just how great of a situation Mendoza is walking into when it comes to the Las Vegas quarterback room. He thinks that veterans like Kirk Cousins and Aidan O'Connell can show him the ropes and build his confidence before fans or the media has the chance to tear Mendoza down.
“Think about his room, too. He’s got Kirk Cousins, Aidan O’Connell. He’s got guys with him in that room that are going to show him so much. That is so important," Laube said. "You guys know confidence is the biggest thing. Raiders fans, if you aren’t playing good, will get on your (expletive) and (expletive) kill you. So, I think him learning behind Kirk and Aidan (is a benefit) too. I don’t know if he’s going to start Week 1, I don’t even know what the whole plan is. But I know that him having those two vets in the room are super crucial because Kirk is awesome. He’s unbelievable. He’s in, what, Year 15, or something like that? He’s a guy that has seen everything."
Cousins is undeniably a great resource for Mendoza, one that Raiders fans have a lot of faith in to do his job and teach the young player. But fans often forget that Cousins wasn't a silver spoon prospect, and his roundabout journey in the NFL has already resonated with Laube and others in the building.
“It was funny, (Cousins) was talking about his story, and you forget he was a fourth-round pick with the Redskins behind [Robert Griffin III], who was the first-round pick," Laube mentioned. "He didn’t think he was going to play. He started to play his third year, started his fourth year, then he was franchise tagged. Everyone’s journey is completely different. He’s been through the ups and downs. So, Fernando having him in his corner is going to be super cool. It’s going to be super cool. And I think them building him with Kirk, man, (Mendoza is) going to be the franchise guy for a very long time."
The franchise guy. Just imagine!
Mendoza and Cousins aren't the only new faces in the building who are working intimately with Laube, however. Las Vegas added a handful of running backs to his position room this offseason, and the third-year player is doing his best to get the Raiders' newbies comfortable and up to speed.
“(UDFA) Roman (Hemby) and (Fourth-round pick) Mike (Washington Jr.), and then (UDFA) Pat (Gurd), an Ohio State guy, a fullback/tight end, just joined our room, too," Laube told us. "Those three guys, I mean, they’ve been quiet. It’s the first week or so, so they aren’t speaking much. But you know me, I’m trying to take them out of their shell.”
As for the incumbent players in the Silver and Black backfield, it is just Laube and Ashton Jeanty from last year's active roster. And it sounds like, in just one season, those two have formed quite a relationship and are now the standard bearers in the room.
“Me and Jeanty, we talk a lot, and we aren’t afraid to (call out) if someone’s messing up, or someone messed up with their step, or did that," Laube said. "We help each other out so much, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a first-round pick, if you’re an undrafted guy, if you’re a sixth-round guy. We bounce off each other so well, and we’re such a close group. Me and (Jeanty) train outside the facility, too. We’re just trying to make this team as best as possible. If it’s me playing on special teams, if it’s me being a third-down back. He’s such a great back and such a great guy."
He also made mention of the fact that, during Jeanty's "difficult" rookie season, the 2025 No. 6 overall pick was oftentimes painted in a light that he disagreed with. And Laube went to bat for Jeanty when defending what some perceived as an underwhelming inaugural campaign for the young star as well.
"It’s funny, too, everyone thinks he’s kind of, if you don’t know him, maybe think he’s a little too full of himself. But if you meet him, he’s such a great guy, he’s such a caring guy, he works his (expletive) off. He takes care of himself, he’s a hard worker," Laube explained. "And if you watch the film, man, he’s a baller. He is a baller. You watch the stats, even the stats were good. But everyone thinks, I guess, he was supposed to have 1,500 yards rushing. Which, that’s not a common thing. But if you watch, he broke a tackle on every single run. I don’t think he ever had one free run. Watching him play, and the way he moves his feet, he’s just so powerful. He’s such a natural catcher, too. He raises the level of play."
Jeanty raising the level of play isn't just good for the Raiders' on-field prognosis in 2026, it is a benefit to Laube and everyone who he touches. Laube brought up one of his favorite quotes to describe the kind of impact that Jeanty has had on him.
"I say it all the time, ‘If you race guys that you’re faster than, you’re not gonna be hitting your fullest potential. But if you race guys that are faster than you, I guarantee you that you will be way faster than that guy who races people that are slower than him because it pushes you to hit that new high.’ He’s such that high-level guy that I strive to be better every single day. It’s cool how we bounce that off each other.”
Now, life isn't just about football. So, while we had him, we took the opportunity to ask Laube, who has been coined as the funniest player on the Raiders by several of his teammates, who the funniest player on the team is, in his opinion.
“There’s a couple guys that I laugh at every single day," Laube began. "To be honest with you, Kirk is actually hilarious because he’s such a dad. He’s a different type of funny. A.J. Cole is such a well-spoken guy that he is so funny; he’s such a witty guy. I think A.J. Cole, to me personally, is definitely the funniest guy on the team. He’s a punter, too, so he’s such a chill guy, and he’s a great punter. He’s the best punter in the league. He is so funny, and he jokes around with us so much. He’s such a witty guy, it is unbelievable. I’d say Kirk is more of a dad, where he’s such a goofy guy that it’s so funny. And then A.J. Cole is just a naturally funny guy.”
All in all, Laube seems to be quite excited about the new-look roster in Las Vegas and is incredibly high on his teammates. If his words are prophetic, then Raider Nation can look forward to a bright future with several marquee players carrying the torch for this era of the Silver and Black.
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