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Raiders Mailbag: Which 2025 draft pick could make a leap in their sophomore campaign?

Aug 05, 2026 at 09:15 AM

Digital Team Reporter

John Elliot from Michigan asks:

"Which 2025 draft pick do you think will make the biggest leap this year?"

Ashton Jeanty is in place to have an incredible sophomore campaign with improved offensive line play. He's been the lead back throughout training camp and Klint Kubiak surely has big plans for him in this offense.

"He just picked up where he left of," Kubiak said. "He wants to be a major part of this team. We're going to give him that opportunity."

Jeanty already enjoyed a successful rookie season, leading all rookies in rushing yards (975) and carries (266). So in terms of a player making a huge leap with more ground to make up, Tonka Hemingway seems to be that guy so far.

The second-year defensive tackle has been earning first-team reps and could earn the job as starting nose tackle. It helps he's going into 2026 with some momentum from his rookie season. He racked up three sacks in his last two games of the year.

"I think just with the pass rush and the fluidity of his movement, he's a different kind of mover anyways," Thomas Booker IV said of his teammate. "You look at it and you can tell that he was a multi-sport athlete. He played basketball, he played baseball, all the rest of it, and you can see it kind of transition into football. He never looks like he's out of sorts."

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Jim Juarez from California asks:

"Who might start at right tackle this season?"

Offensive line coach Rick Dennison indicated it's a wide open competition across the line and "the best five" will prevail.

With that being said, DJ Glaze has gotten the majority of reps at right tackle in camp. Since Week 4 of his rookie 2024 season, he's started 31 consecutive games for the Raiders at right tackle.

"I really think DJ is really working hard," Dennison said. "Every day there's little things. ... We keep pointing out things that DJ's got to work on, and he does have great length. I mean, he uses his arm length really well, and he's working really hard at it. He's made some progress, but just like the rest of them, there's things we've got to get better at."

Charles Grant and rookie Trey Zuhn III continue to push Glaze for the starting job on the right side. Zuhn is also getting reps at guard and center.

"I think he's got a good skillset, along with a lot of them." Dennison said of Zuhn. "I think a lot of guys can move around, and we're just trying to see, let him use all the skills he's got, see what looks best. ... We've got to play a couple games in my mind, and when we do, it's good to say Trey has played this spot or that spot, he's played a lot of spots."

Ozzy Smith asks:

"What position group has surprised you the most in terms of performances? Could be a variety of reasons, really good depth, numerous players performing."

The secondary.

Overall, it's a unit with a lot more questions than answers surrounding them at this point in time. With the exception of Jeremy Chinn, Taron Johnson and Eric Stokes, the large majority of the defensive backs are inexperienced at the next level.

But that hasn't stopped them competing.

The biggest surprises of camp in my eyes have been rookies Jermod McCoy and Hezekiah Masses. The two Day 3 picks have been practicing with confidence and pushing for a starting role on the outside.

"Zeke came in making plays," safety Jeremy Chinn said of Masses. "Even in OTAs, just seeing him step up. I feel like he just had an understanding. Even just technique-wise, he's true to his technique. He's always been true to his technique ever since he stepped in here, and it hasn't been a drop-off, so it's cool to see."

"I think it's pretty glaring in individual [drills], his natural talent," defensive coordinator Rob Leonard said of McCoy. "And it's fun to see him progress. He's working along. He's an exciting prospect."

Mix in second-year cornerback Darien Porter with safeties Isaiah Pola-Mao and Treydan Stukes, and the Raiders secondary could emerge as one of the better units on the team, despite not having the same level of name recognition as a few other position groups.

"Just seeing these young guys kind of learn as they go, it kind of reminds me of myself when I was a younger guy too," Chinn said. "We just kind of learn different spots and kind of see areas for growth. And then you come back the next day and you can see the difference in the growth of each guy. It's pretty cool to see."

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Las Vegas Raiders tackle Kolton Miller (74) before practice at 2026 Training Camp at Intermountain Health Performance Center.