MOBILE. Ala. — It will be interesting to see how new Raiders coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek view their offensive line as the offseason progresses. And whether they dip into a deep 2025 draft class for help.
Several members of the team’s front office have watched an impressive group of prospects at Senior Bowl practices this week, led by standouts such as North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel, Oregon’s Josh Conerly, Miami (Florida’s) Jalen Rivers, LSU’s Emery Jones, Purdue’s Marcus Mbow and North Carolina’s Willie Lampkin.
The Raiders do have some young talent in place in left guard/center Jackson Powers-Johnson and right tackle DJ Glaze, who emerged as starters their rookie seasons in 2024. But Carroll has staked his coaching career on creating competition at all levels of his football team. And it’s hard to argue the Raiders don’t have room to improve after recording the fewest rushing yards in the NFL last season.
“It all starts with competition,” Carroll said Monday. “You’re either competing or you’re not. I’m going to make sure that that’s really clear to these guys from the moment they get here.”
Don’t be surprised if he and Spytek decide offensive line reinforcements are needed once they evaluate the Raiders’ current roster.
“We’re going to go out and draft a class and there will be a few free agents maybe we’ll be able to attract, and we’ll need to see those guys and we’ll need to see what they’re all about,” Carroll said. “But the competition part of it is theirs to command. The central theme in the program is always going to be competition, and that’s where it starts.”
Plenty of talent in Mobile
Lampkin and Zabel, who have turned heads at the Senior Bowl this week, could be just the sort of players the Raiders are looking for.
Zabel played left tackle in college but may move inside in the NFL. He lined up at center this week and was dominant.
“I feel extremely comfortable at center,” Zabel said. “I like the change because it makes you a little uncomfortable at times. But that’s where you have the most growth in your game.”
Zabel’s versatility should help him become an immediate starter since he can play just about anywhere. He said he is prepared to line up wherever a team needs him.
“It’s understanding when you play offensive line, it’s not going to be perfect the entire season. So you might get bounced around here and there,” Zabel said.
Lampkin is an interesting evaluation.
He was measured at 5-foot-10, 270 pounds at the Senior Bowl, which is tiny by NFL standards. The website Pro Football Focus said Lampkin would be “three inches shorter than the smallest offensive lineman in the league and the second-lightest since 1999.”
His size hasn’t been a detriment in practices, however. Lampkin has held his own this week against huge defensive linemen like Kentucky’s Deone Walker (6-foot-7, 340 pounds) and South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders (6-foot-4, 284 pounds).
Lampkin, in his reps against those two, got his arms immediately underneath his opponent’s shoulder pads and then used his strength to move them. His background as a former wrestler is obvious when watching him play.
Still, his small frame is bound to lead to arguments in draft rooms.
Others of note
Jones, a tackle prospect, is another player that put together a solid week in Mobile. He is projected to go in the third round.
Mbow was a force when he got his legs under him. Conerly got dropped on his backside by Marshall edge rusher Mike Green at one point, but he was effective for the most part throughout the week. He could be a late first-round pick or a high second-round pick.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
