The Las Vegas Raiders is finally taking shape following the NFL Draft. The team was quiet in free agency prior to the draft but added nine players in the draft and signed another 17 undrafted free agents.
The roster is filling up so some players who were on the roster are going to get cut. The first casualty is safety Tyreque Jones. The Raiders announced that they’ve cut Jones in an April 29 X post.
Jones had only recently joined the team this offseason on a Reserve/Futures contract. He originally came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Boise State. He also spent time with the Tennesee Titans, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts before landing in Las Vegas.
Jones has good size at 6-foot-2 but has yet to take a snap in an NFL game. He’s now heading back to free agency and will have to search for his next landing spot. The Raiders added a few defensive backs in the draft and free agency so it’s unlikely they’ll consider bringing Jones back.
Trey Taylor Is Intriguing Prospect
One of the most interesting Day 3 picks the Raiders made was taking Air Force safety Trey Taylor in the seventh round. He won the Jim Thorpe Award in 2023, which is given to college football’s best defensive back. He’s also a cousin of NFL Hall of Famer Ed Reed, who is one of the greatest safeties ever.
The reason Taylor lasted until the seventh round was likely due to his lack of athleticism. He also didn’t play against elite competition at Air Force. However, he’s a very mature prospect and is ready to put in the work to make an NFL roster.
“The ability to serve while playing football and while studying at one of the most prestigious schools in America, like you can’t really pass up that opportunity,” Taylor said during his April 27 media availability. “So, I’m glad I landed there. And the Academy taught me a lot about myself. It taught me a lot about who I really am, the maturity I have as a person, taught me how to grow, how to spread my wings and made me the person I am today.”
There won’t be high expectations for a seventh-round pick so Taylor simply making the 53-man roster out of training camp would be a win for him.
Trey Taylor Has Killer Instinct
Taylor is a really good fit for what the Raiders want to do. He wants to hit players hard and isn’t shy about it.
“I’m a killer on the field,” Taylor said. “I have a different instinct when I get on the field and I brought that from the Academy, and I’m hoping to bring it onto this team. And I feel like there’s a lot of people who have the same mentality on that team. So, definitely ready to go take on that identity.”
Head coach Antonio Pierce has been stressing aggressiveness with his players. Taylor certainly will fit in well with what Pierce wants to do. He may end up being one of the steals of the draft if he can carve out a role in Las Vegas.
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