Raiders' UDFA signing with full-circle story has outside chance to make roster

Football is already such a fun game to watch, but the stories that come from the players, coaches and executives that we love are even better. And the Las Vegas Raiders, intentionally or not, have just manufactured what I think is one of the most fascinating storylines to monitor this offseason.

At the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, John Spytek and the front office wasted no time attacking the undrafted free agent market. While the entire goal for them is to add more talent in this phase, it is hard for fans not to get attached to these underdog players whose NFL dreams hang in the balance.

The Raiders already added two of Fernando Mendoza's Indiana teammates to the roster, which is a fun story. Las Vegas also signed Kansei Matsuzawa, "The Tokyo Toe," whose untraditional path to the NFL started with watching a Raiders game, which inspired him to learn how to kick on YouTube.

Former Arkansas linebacker Xavian Sorey Jr., who signed with the Raiders on Saturday, might not seem like a major addition. But he is enjoying a full-circle moment of his own, and he also has an outside chance of making the roster in Las Vegas, to boot.

Las Vegas Raiders UDFA LB Xavian Sorey Jr. has full-circle story and a chance to make the team

On the surface, Sorey joining the Silver and Black is a feel-good story of sorts. He'll be reunited with his college teammate, running back Mike Washington Jr., whom the Raiders traded up to select in the fourth round to serve as Ashton Jeanty's complement.

But I remember watching Sorey Jr. star on the first day of Senior Bowl practices in January, in front of several members of the Raiders' scouting department, no less. And I know that's not the full story, because that night, I went back to my hotel room and researched Sorey Jr.'s path to Mobile.

Although he came to the college all-star circuit as a Razorback, he was once a Georgia Bulldog. In fact, he was part of the same recruiting class as All-Pro Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers, who starred immediately in the SEC.

However, my follow-up question to Sorey is what's most peculiar. Obviously, he transferred across the conference to Arkansas for a chance to play more, as the multi-time National Champion Bulldogs were loaded throughout the roster, but at linebacker, in particular.

But who exactly did he sit behind at Georgia?

That's right. Nearly four months ago, I asked Sorey Jr. about playing with Bowers and lining up across from him, as well as what he learned from Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean while sitting behind them in college. Of course, at that point, I had no idea that both Walker and Dean would join the Raiders.

And yet here Sorey Jr. is, years later, enjoying this full-circle moment. The very same superstar tight end that was part of his recruiting class that he played against at practice in the SEC is the one that he'll be tasked with facing at training camp in Las Vegas.

The very same linebackers that Sorey Jr. "learned how to win" from at Georgia are now the veterans in his NFL linebacker room. Surely, this is a bit of déjà vu for him, and all the stars aligned for the Raiders to add these former Bulldog stars just in time for Sorey Jr. to enter the building.

Perhaps the coolest part about this story is that Sorey Jr., in my opinion, actually has a real chance to make the roster, or at least the practice squad. Yes, as mentioned, Las Vegas went out and nabbed a pair of stud linebackers in free agency to hold down the position.

But there's not much proven talent behind those two, and the Raiders didn't exactly address the linebacker spot in any of the seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Segun Olubi is a great special-teamer, if nothing else, but Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Lindenberg are far from proven.

Outside of a few edge rushers who are listed on the Raiders' website as "linebackers," that is it. Even after signing loads of undrafted free agents, the extent of Sorey Jr.'s real competition to sneak onto the 53-man team is Olubi, Eichenberg and Lindenberg.

Do undrafted rookies commonly make the team? Not really. But this circumstance is a bit different. And if Sorey Jr. were to worm his way onto the roster, or even the practice squad, then he'd find himself completing the circle, practicing against Bowers while learning from Walker and Dean.

And that may not earn as many headlines as how Mendoza is performing in offseason practices compared to Kirk Cousins, or what Klint Kubiak's offense and Rob Leonard's defense look like in the early stages.

But it's a great story nonetheless.

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