The Las Vegas Raiders wrapped up their offseason program a few weeks back and we saw several players stand out, including some we didn't expect to. But which player earns the title as the biggest surprise?
In the mind of ESPN's Paul Gutierrez, it's receiver Tre Tucker, who is entering his second season in the NFL after flashing promise during his rookie campaign and is competing for the No. 3 receiver role against Michael Gallup and Jalen Guyton
Here are Gutierrez's thoughts on Tucker before we explain why we respectfully disagree with his pick.
Tucker, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound speedster drafted in the third round last year, looked like a different player after catching 19 passes for 331 yards and two TDs as a rookie. "Don't look at the size, don't mention that," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said of Tucker, in competition to be Las Vegas' No. 3 WR, behind Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers. "Watch him play. He's the biggest guy out there. He had a hell of an offseason. ... Everything that we talked about working on, he took that to another level. And you could see the look in his eye of a confident player, of a guy that's just going to constantly get better. He's pushing."
Tucker received high praise from Pierce and was impressive at minicamp, no doubt, but I would not classify him as the biggest surprise on the team.
That title should go to sixth-round pick and running back, Dylan Laube, who carried over his momentum from OTAs into minicamp and managed to stand out during two different practices, according to beat writers on the ground. He was also listed on both of our biggest standouts from minicamp practice articles.
"Rookie running back Dylan Laube had a good first day and was even on the field for some first-team passing downs," The Athletic's Vic Tafur wrote. "His wiggle and pass-catching skills were on display as he tries to carve out a role behind starter Zamir White and alongside backups Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah."
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Laube flashed his skills as a pass-catcher and also saw some first-team reps. Adding to that, the New Hampshire product is getting a look as a returner, which only adds to his value and chances of making the roster and having a role.
While he'll likely slot in as the No. 4 running back on the depth chart, it isn't crazy to think he could earn the No. 3 spot out of the gates, or at some point during the season, assuming he can keep this up.
None of this is to downplay Tucker's performance this offseason, because he has been solid. But Laube is a bigger surprise.
