Dylan Parham has had to trust the process since arriving to Las Vegas.
The offensive linemen from Memphis was the Raiders' highest 2022 draft pick, after trading their first and second-round picks for Davante Adams. Parham did a lot to wow NFL scouts in the draft process – considering he only allowed one sack in his last two seasons in college and ran a 4.93 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Despite the success he had in college, he's now in a different ballpark. However, he hasn't let himself become overwhelmed through the transition to the pros.
"I would say that the NFL, of course, is just faster than what you're used to," Parham said Thursday in his first media availability since being drafted. "Taking that next jump, just being able to see things a little bit faster, being able to snap and get off the ball quicker is something that's really big.
"They always tell you, 'It's going to be faster, you won't be able to see stuff' or 'Some people are going to have a difficult time.' It's just really getting in there and realizing you just need to study a little bit more so that you can see it and it'll slow down the game for you."
Josh McDaniels' vision for the offensive line is to be flexible as possible, stacked with players that can play multiple positions. That vision had to have been a big reason behind taking Parham in the third round. Parham has seen snaps across the line since OTAs, which is something he said he's been accustomed to since college.
"I think the University of Memphis really helped me with that just because I played so many positions back then," said Parham. "I had to know everything amongst the offensive line. I went from guard, guard, little bit of center and tackle. That really prepared me for this next level."
A few veterans on the offensive line have taken notice of what Parham brings to the team. Earlier in Training Camp, Andre James referred to Parham as "a really good rookie" with a lot of versatility, "which is super important as being an offensive lineman." John Simpson also believes Parham is talented and is trying his best to help show the rookie the ropes in the locker room.
"He's got a lot of upside, man. He's a good dude," Simpson said. "He's super quiet. He doesn't talk a lot, but I do everything I can to try to help him to be the best player he can be. It's competition, but he's still like a brother to me. ... It's all love when it comes down to that. And if he needs help, I'll be there to help him."
When asked about how the offensive line has been bringing him up to speed, he agreed with Simpson's sentiment stating, "they've done a great job." The cohesion of the entire offensive line has been huge for the rookie still in the process of finding his footing.
"They're bringing me under their wing," said Parham. "It's like, 'Hey rook, do you need some help with this?' or 'Do you know this play?' They're making sure that they take care of us. It's not like we're getting overwhelmed, they're just doing a really great job.
"They're also being a brother to us. They're really just taking us in, helping us learn the plays since they're new as well and everybody's really together, I feel like, with the offensive line unit."
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