The Las Vegas Raiders have had a rough few years, but new General Manager John Spytek and Head Coach Pete Carroll are looking to turn things around with not just an impressive draft class but also a good group of UDFA signings. Here are three UDFAs who could earn a spot on the 53-man roster and potentially develop into impactful players for the Raiders.
Las Vegas Raiders UDFAs Who Could Make An Impact On The Team In 2025
CB Mello Dotson, Kansas
Dotson is not the most athletic cornerback, but he was a consistently productive corner at Kansas for multiple seasons. He hauled in four interceptions in 2023 and followed it up with a Big 12-leading five interceptions in 2024. He paired those impressive interception numbers with 11 and seven pass deflections in back-to-back seasons as well. While he is not the quickest athlete, he has good size for the position and has really good awareness in zone coverage. Dotson will have to overcome a lack of long speed and change of direction ability to make the roster, but his high-level ball skills, instincts in zone coverage, and tenacity in run support give him a chance to earn a spot on the team as a quality depth corner.
Edge Jah Joyner, Minnesota
Joyner has some upside as a lengthy and explosive pass rusher. He is a tall pass rusher with a 34-inch arm length and a quick first step. While Joyner is not the most refined pass rusher, he does have some decent pass rush moves in his bag, including a very effective rip move. Joyner was also effective at forcing fumbles and disrupting passes at Minnesota, with two forced fumbles in both 2023 and 2024, and seven pass deflections in 2024. He is currently not a strong run defender, and he has inconsistent hand placement. However, with his size and length, along with his relentless motor, Joyner could be a solid developmental rotational pass rusher for the Raiders.
LB Jailin Walker, Indiana
Walker lacks size, but is an athletic linebacker who has had good production multiple seasons in college. In his time at both James Madison and Indiana, Walker played in 44 games with 33 career starts. In his one season with the Hoosiers, he finished second on the team in tackles and pass deflections, and led the team with three forced fumbles while helping Indiana reach the College Football Playoff as a top-10 scoring defense in all of college football. Walker is an explosive athlete who made Bruce Feldman’s College Football Freaks List in 2024. He possesses good sideline-to-sideline range and is an aggressive defender who had a knack for causing havoc in college, with not just three forced fumbles in 2024, but also three in 2023 and five career interceptions.
However, at 6-foot-0 and 219 pounds Walker is an extremely undersized linebacker, and he can really struggle to shed blockers. Linebacker is not a strong position on the Raiders roster, and there is potentially room for Walker to win a spot as a depth linebacker on the team. He may need to excel on special teams to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, but he has the potential to be a special teams standout with his motor and athletic ability.
Main Photo Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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