The last two drafts for the Las Vegas Raiders have seen a hefty investment in the offensive line. In 2024, they spent a second- and third-round pick on Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze. Last year, they mortgaged a pair of third-rounders on Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant.
But even with those additions and Kolton Miller holding down the left tackle spot, the Raiders' return on investment was low. Now, former OL coach Brennan Carroll deserves the lion's share of the blame for how things went last year. And new OL coach Rick Dennison should be miles better.
John Spytek, however, seems to believe that one can never have too many strong bodies in the trenches, as evidenced by the selection of versatile offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III from Texas A&M. That selection, too, puts several of Las Vegas' recent draft picks on notice.
Las Vegas Raiders' offensive line is now full of competition after Trey Zuhn III pick
Before sustaining a minor injury at the Senior Bowl, Zuhn III split his time between left tackle, center and right guard down in Mobile. And while he primarily protected the quarterback's blind spot in college, the pre-draft process proved that he could settle in at any of the five spots up front.
Considering so much is in flux for Las Vegas on the offensive line outside of Miller and newly-minted Raider Tyler Linderbaum at center, Zuhn III could be the ultimate wildcard. Only three of Zuhn III and the aforementioned four young players can start, so this should be an intriguing training camp battle.
Not to mention, Jordan Meredith should also be in the mix for a starting spot along the interior. Last year, the offensive line was such a massive weakness for the Silver and Black, but all of a sudden, it seems like Klint Kubiak will have his choice of promising players to employ up front.
Zuhn's best spot in the NFL may ultimately be guard, which would be a threat to Meredith, Powers-Johnson and Rogers. His experience playing tackle, however, puts him in the running for the starting right tackle job, which both Glaze and Grant are currently gunning for.
And in a bind, Zuhn III can slide to the center spot and hold it down should anything happen to Linderbaum. That kind of versatility is both rare and highly revered. Surely, everyone in the Raiders' offensive line room took notice of this selection and thought about what it means for them.
Ultimately, the beauty of having Zuhn III is that, even if he's not immediately, or ever, good enough to earn a starting job, he's practically a five-in-one backup. Las Vegas can carry fewer players in the offensive line room because Zuhn III is multiple players in one. The combinations are endless.
Although it may not have been the most exciting pick to a lot of fans, Spytek made it known last week, in no uncertain terms, that he thinks offensive linemen are "sexy." So it is no surprise that Spytek wanted a guy who can fill practically any role up front.
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