It’s easy to look across the Las Vegas Raiders' roster and pinpoint the stars.
Kolton Miller continues to serve as the anchor at left tackle. Maxx Crosby remains the heartbeat of the defense. And on offense, Brock Bowers and rookie Ashton Jeanty draw the attention for a group still searching for consistency.
But amid all the attention-grabbing storylines and players, one player that has quietly built a solid résumé in 2025 has been right tackle DJ Glaze, and his steady rise deserves the spotlight.
DJ Glaze is not getting enough credit for his Year 2 growth
A third-round pick out of Maryland in 2024, Glaze was far from a polished product when he entered the league, and his rookie season reflected that. The adjustment to NFL speed, strength, and technique -- especially at one of the league’s most demanding positions -- proved difficult.
But the Raiders remained patient, and the investment is beginning to pay off in year two. Through the first half of his sophomore campaign this fall, Glaze has started every game he's appeared in and held his own against a difficult slate of pass rushers.
He’s allowed just five sacks, two quarterback hits, and fifteen hurries -- twenty-two total pressures on the year -- while committing just three penalties, and only one since Week 1 against the New England Patriots.
Those numbers alone show growth, but the film tells an even better story.
Glaze’s pass sets have become more measured and balanced, and his punch timing, once erratic, has steadied. He’s absorbing contact better, anchoring with depth, and keeping Geno Smith largely upright with consistent technique.
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His recent stretch of play underscores that development. In Week 4 against the Chicago Bears, Glaze surrendered just one pressure on 23 pass protection snaps. A week later, against the Indianapolis Colts, he gave up just one more on 41 opportunities.
The following week against the Tennessee Titans, he didn’t allow a single pressure across 25 reps -- a clean sheet that reflects improved control and awareness. Even against the Kansas City Chiefs' multiple fronts in Week 7, he yielded only one pressure over 20 snaps.
For a young tackle facing high-level competition every week, this is no small feat.
Offensive linemen rarely receive the recognition their impact warrants, and for a right tackle, who is often overshadowed by the blindside protector on the other edge, that’s even truer. But Glaze’s improvement has brought needed stability to the Raiders’ offensive line.
This unit has struggled to protect in recent years, but Glaze's consistency has allowed the offense to function more fluidly, particularly as Smith continues to settle into the system and Jeanty begins to find his rhythm on the ground.
The former Terrapin in Glaze may not command headlines, nor will you hear his name often on broadcasts (for good reason). But for Las Vegas, his quiet emergence represents progress. In a season defined by transition and uneven results, his reliability at right tackle is one of the most underrated bright spots on the roster, and one the Raiders can continue to build around.