If you didn't know that the Las Vegas Raiders had a successful offseason by almost every measure, chock full of big-name additions and big-ticket contracts, then you might have been living under a rock. But if you didn't hear that they signed Dareke Young, you are forgiven, as it flew under the radar.
With household names like Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins coming to Las Vegas, and big names in NFL land like Quay Walker, Tyler Linderbaum and Nakobe Dean, there just weren't enough headlines to give every new Raider their proper due. But Young is making sure fans notice him during OTAs.
The bulk of Young's work during his first four NFL seasons has come on special teams. And for as important as that facet of the game is, players who shine in that realm don't often get a ton of credit. So Young is showing his stuff on offense during OTAs and giving coaches something to think about.
Las Vegas Raiders ST stud Dareke Young impressing as WR early in OTAs
Last week, Young made a nice play during the first practice that was open to the media. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Adam Hill talked about it on the First and 10 Podcast, and he reminded fans of a conversation he had with Klint Kubiak about Young earlier in the offseason.
"Dareke Young, wide receiver, made a really nice play on one play. Great catch along the sideline," Hill noted. "He had some other plays downfield. That's an interesting development because Klint Kubak had told me at the owners meetings he thought Dareke Young had a lot of opportunity to be much more impactful as a receiver. Mostly just been a special teams guy in the past with Seattle. Now, maybe the playbook's open a little bit for him and he's making some plays."
Jesse Merrick of the Silver & Black Sports Network also talked about the play on last week's episode, and he talked about the implications for Young and how it could help him make the roster or even become a contingency plan at wide receiver as well.
"Dareke Young, he had a hell of a catch on the outside on a go ball. I believe it was from Fernando Mendoza if memory serves me right. ... he caught a nice little sideline ball," Merrick said. "Looked like to me like he got his feet down. The defenders were arguing that he didn't, but great job on a contested catch. He's one of those guys that's coming in more as a special teamer. Had familiarity with Klint Kubak up there in Seattle, but he's coming in and needs to prove that he can be counted on as a receiver. ... He's trying to show that he's got that in his bag along with the special teams chops and everything like that. And then I think he will be able to secure himself a roster spot. But again, looked really good today. I was really impressed with the catch that he made on the sideline there."
But Young's prowess on offense didn't go away during the second OTA practice open to the media. He showed that last week's great play at wide receiver wasn't just a flash in the pan, but perhaps a harbinger of Young growing as a pass-catcher.
ESPN's Ryan McFadden noted that, during Thursday's team period, Aidan O'Connell connected with Young on a nice catch near the sideline. Raiders.com reporter Levi Edwards later clarified that Young's reception from O'Connell was actually a touchdown grab.
Obviously, this is just OTAs, and Young wasn't even going against the first-team defense. Contact isn't allowed, and that changes the game entirely. But just the fact that he's getting open and reeling in difficult passes in tight spaces is a promising sign for his offensive development.
He's not likely to supplant anyone in the Raiders' current wide receiver room for a spot in the rotation, but Las Vegas can have zero qualms about keeping him on the roster if he isn't just pigeonholed as a special teamer, even though that was likely going to be enough for him to make the roster anyway.
Young still has a long way to go, but the coaching staff has to be thinking about his growth as a wideout and the implications of that on the receiver room.
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