Las Vegas Raiders: 3 rookies who could start 2023 Week 1
By Nick Popio
The Las Vegas Raiders will be gearing up for training camp before you know it and some of its freshest rookie class will have a realistic chance to crack the starting lineup when they pop pads with Denver in September.
Nine new Las Vegas Raiders will debut in the preseason, hoping to make a lasting impression on the coaching staff that is so glaring that they have no choice but to name them starters in Week 1. Here's a list of three newcomers who may unsurprisingly start immediately when the regular season begins in about three months.
Raiders Rookies who could start Week 1: Michael Mayer, TE
This is the most obvious choice of the class. Mayer is arguably the most NFL ready tight end out of the group that came out. He has Rookie of the Year-type potential but with Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs as his teammates, it's hard to imagine him getting enough targets to beat out others like Bryce Young, C.J Stroud, Bijan Robinson, and so on down the list.
Mayer should be able to step in and move up the depth chart fairly quickly this summer. The young man will have a lot of expectations on his shoulders, but that's what comes with being so highly regarded coming into the league.
He'll be compared to Rob Gronkowski and George Kittle, two of whom will be in Canton someday, and two former teammates of Jimmy Garoppolo. Having him as an extra blocker on certain downs can keep the running game potent and the playcalling fresh for McDaniels' schemes.