Although the offseason is still young, one doesn't have to be inside the building every day or have privileged intel to decipher who the obvious locks are on the Las Vegas Raiders' roster. At running back, those three players are Ashton Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr., and fullback Connor Heyward.
Behind them, it really is anyone's ballgame. Dylan Laube, who is enjoying his new lease on life under Klint Kubiak and urged Raider Nation to be patient this year, feels like the frontrunner. But he'll have stiff competition from undrafted free agent Roman Hemby and fellow returner Chris Collier.
Hemby, in particular, is a fan favorite because he was Fernando Mendoza's college teammate. Laube's production also hasn't jumped off the page in his first two NFL seasons, so fans rebuked the decision of a certain Just Blog Baby writer to call Laube a "lock" in a recent way-too-early roster prediction.
But Laube, still just a young, third-year player, is already proving his doubters wrong.
Las Vegas Raiders RB Dylan Laube is already proving doubters wrong in offseason program
Let's be honest: With Jeanty and Washington Jr. in the room, neither Hemby nor Laube would factor much into the equation when it comes to carries. So, that third running back needs to be adept on special teams, and that is where Laube shines. It's also where Hemby needs to prove a lot more.
Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis spoke to the media on Wednesday after mandatory minicamp for the first time since taking the job, and he was asked about the job that Laube has done so far. It's safe to say that DeCamillis has been impressed.
"I think he's done a great job throughout the OTAs," DeCamillis said. "He's another one that's really, really sharp, gets the game, and he knows the way he's going to make it is by the more he can do. And he's accentuated that all the way through camp. I really like him so far. Obviously, OTAs, we haven't put any pads on or any of that stuff, so you'll find out more as we go through it. But really like the kid so far for sure, and I think he's going to be a good player for us."
When Laube spoke with Just Blog Baby, he mentioned that DeCamillis was leaning on him as a leader in the often-forgotten third phase of the game. And Laube isn't just returning kicks; he is on the kickoff team and working as a vise on punt return. That kind of special teams versatility is coveted.
The California Post's Vincent Bonsignore also included Laube on his list of standouts from Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice, so he's impressed more than just the coaching staff. If he can keep this up when the pads come on, then perhaps my calling him a lock will age better than most thought.
As a late-round rookie coming from an FCS program, Laube should have never been billed as the next Christian McCaffrey. That was a classic offseason overhyping of a player, and Raider Nation admirably trying to find reason and optimism in an era devoid of sensible decisions.
His failure to live up to those lofty expectations doesn't mean that Laube can't still play a nice role for this Las Vegas team. Laube's impact is likely to be largely felt on special teams, but Klint Kubiak liked him coming out of college for his outside zone experience and ability to navigate screen plays.
I'm not saying that he'll be a key factor in the running back room; that'll likely be a two-man show. But Laube is impressing the new staff and the media this offseason in the face of some pretty harsh criticism from a fanbase that has somewhat counted him out already.
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