Training camp Day 3: standouts from Costa Mesa & Antonio Pierce's best quotes

The pads don't go on until July 30th, but a few young Raiders are already making their mark. The team is still focused mainly on individual drills and breakdown segments at this point in camp, but these are all microcosms of real football. These coaches have seen what good players look like and how success in drills and breakdowns can lead to success in games.

Antonio Pierce's presser

Head coach Antonio Pierce spoke to the media Friday morning before camp and had plenty of positive things to say about a few members of the rookie class.

When asked about the development of two young defenders, LB Tommy Eichenberg and CB Decamerion Richardson, Pierce immediately said that "Tommy's a silent killer." He went on to rave about how he has improved each day from rookie minicamp until now, and that he has worked his way solidly into a backup role due to his "football savviness, his anticipation, and his overall leadership."

As far as Richardson is concerned, Pierce noted that he is learning a ton from the veterans at his position. He is always positioning himself "right behind Jack [Jones] or [Brandon] Facyson and taking a lot of mental reps." This has helped him limit his mistakes when the team goes to competitive periods against the offense.

Speaking of the offense, Pierce was asked about Dylan Laube, a rookie RB drafted in the sixth round. Pierce wasted no time in hyping up the New Hampshire product, simply saying "he's special." He continued by calling Laube "a gritty running back" who "surprises you with his speed." For these reasons, Pierce thinks he will be a "difficult matchup" for defenses, which is incredibly promising.

As expected, Pierce did not directly answer any questions about who had the edge in the quarterback battle, and he quickly touched on the Kermit the Frog fiasco that occurred yesterday in Costa Mesa, saying that the matter was handled and that it is over with.