Each week throughout camp, Raiders.com has checked in with rookie running back Dylan Laube for a first person viewpoint of his first NFL training camp. Here's the final installment of "Letters from Camp" heading into the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers (as told to Levi Edwards).
Personally, I think every camp is always long and tiring, but that's what makes a team.
We had that mentality of going to war together, which was so important. Struggling as one is important. Throughout camp, I've made friendships with so many guys and growing with them has made me feel a part of the team. Talking with a bunch of the guys, they said that they've never seen a team this close before.
My first day here, I was in the weight room and [Head Strength and Conditioning Coach] AJ Neibel gave every single person on the team a nickname. As soon as he saw me he started calling me "Mighty Mouse." I don't know why, I guess I'm short, strong and buff? But he said, "Screw it, that's his name from now on."
But then a week or two into OTAs, Maxx Crosby came up to me and said, "Hey, I'm going to call you Cheddar Bob from now on." I don't think I resemble the character from "8 Mile," but that's what he thought, so that's who I am now. Both of the nicknames stuck, so that's what people on the team call me now.
My roommate, Phalen Sanford, we've really helped each other out. We talk almost every single night about what he sees from the offense and what I see from the defense and on special teams, too. We talk all the time about the schemes and what works for us. I feel like he's a similar player as me except on the other side of the ball. He works his ass off and honestly, I think this whole rookie class has worked their asses off.
One of my favorite days of camp was when we went to the beach for a walkthrough and did rookie skits. Shoutout to Coach Derius Swinton, our assistant special teams coach, he organized for all of the rookies to come together and had a plan for us to do skits. I felt like I had a good impersonation of Maxx and [Game Manager] Matt Sheldon.
We practiced it a good five to six times prior and all of the rookies were cracking up. That's when I knew all I had to do was drag it out and be super extra about it. Watching Maxx every day and seeing how he competes, it was a joke but at the same time it just shows how good he really is. He's just a freak on the field. And Sheldon too, I call him "The Mad Scientist" because he's so smart and he does his job really well. It was all in good fun and we were all having a good time.
Another fun part of camp was doing my rookie performance, "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. Another quick shoutout to Phalen because he had the best rookie performance out of everyone. He belted out "Tennessee Whiskey" and it was unbelievable. You would never assume he had a voice like that.
When you step up there, you have 150 people staring at you, screaming at you, booing you. It's a nerve-racking time, but was still a great time and I gave it my all.
My other favorite day of camp was last Saturday, stepping onto the field at Allegiant Stadium for my first home game. It was something that I'll never forget. To be honest, every single day I've been able to come out here and live out my dream has been surreal. I'm just blessed to play this game.
I always believe in myself, but at the same time, I always have this chip on my shoulder. I always think I have something to prove so I feel like I haven't earned my spot on this team yet. That's my mentality every single day. Having that chip on my shoulder to prove to everyone and myself that I truly belong in the NFL.
In this last preseason game, I'm just going to enjoy the moment. You never know if it's going to be your last game, but at the same time we're 0-2 right now. We're just trying to earn a win and have that roll over into the regular season.
Head inside Intermountain Health Performance Center to view photos from Wednesday's 2024 Training Camp practice.
A view of the practice field before 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders assistant linebackers coach Marcus Lewis on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders senior defensive assistant Rob Ryan on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders assistant defense coach Josh Phillips on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman David Agoha (55) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end TJ Franklin (57) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Carnell Williams on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins (95) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jackson Mitchell (48) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dax Milne (35) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Sam Webb (27) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jakorian Bennett (0) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps (1) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (11) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden (49) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Luke Masterson (59) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Sam Webb (27) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (87) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Jordan Meredith (61) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Rayshad Williams (36) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders signage during practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Jalen McKenzie (54) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Andrew Coker (73) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Jalen McKenzie (54) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Jalen McKenzie (54) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tulu Griffin (81) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Luke Masterson (59) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Footballs on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
The Las Vegas Raiders on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Thayer Munford Jr. (77) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Kolton Miller (74) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden (49) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end TJ Franklin (57) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins (95) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Matthew Butler (91) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden (49) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Noah Shannon (62) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offense linemen on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Marquan McCall (52) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Janarius Robinson (97) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera (99) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Dalton Wagner (78) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins (95) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offensive linemen on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman David Agoha (55) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offense linemen on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman David Agoha (55) and defensive end TJ Franklin (57) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Matthew Butler (91) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman David Agoha (55) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders assistant defense coach Josh Phillips on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison (22) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (3) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison (22) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (3) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (8) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders signage during practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Jalen McKenzie (54) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (2) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
A view from the field during practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
A view from the field during practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
The Las Vegas Raiders on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Janarius Robinson (97) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Assistant General Manager Champ Kelly on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
A football on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre'von Moehrig (7) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Marcus Epps (1) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones (18) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones (18) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safeties coach Gerald Alexander on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders punter AJ Cole (6) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (2) on the field for practice at 2024 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
