Following the conclusion of the draft, the Las Vegas Raiders decided to sign a number of undrafted free agents to potentially join the team or, at the very least, make their practice squad. They addressed a range of important positions, one of them being the offensive line. which is supported by their signing of offensive tackle Bam Olaseni from Utah. A truly intriguing prospect, who could be a player to keep a close eye on once preseason starts.
Who is Bam Olaseni? What does he bring to the Raiders?
Olaseni is a gigantic talent who stands at six-foot-seven, weighs 330 pounds, and has an 88-inch wingspan. During his final season at Utah, he allowed zero sacks and twelve pressures. Also in 2021, he played in fourteen games, with eleven of them being at left tackle. He was also named to the Pac-12 Conference Second Team. He also rose through the junior college system before playing in the Pac-12. His tall frame, reminiscent of Trent Brown and Mekhi Becton, distinguishes him from the competition. With so many questions about the right tackle, may the Raiders have found their answer?
Utah OL Bam Olaseni and his 88†wingspan 😧@ShrineBowl pic.twitter.com/QkdBwlFtIK
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) January 31, 2022
Have the Raiders found their right tackle?
With the new regime that has been implemented over the course of several months, Raiders offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo might have just discovered a steal. While he is still relatively new to the game, he began playing for his local club, London Blitz, U17 team before he moved to the United States and began his football dream.
When you see him on tape, he swiftly takes on the block, leaving openings for the team’s running back to rush through. He simply exploits his strength against others, frequently pancaking defensive linemen.
The competition in camp will be strong, and he will likely have a fighting chance based just on his frame. It will be exceedingly difficult to simply push someone with that build around and having the opportunity to enhance his game with a pro-level coaching staff will do wonders for his future. As the team prepares its roster for rookie camp and, eventually, preseason, he’s a player to keep an eye on.
UDFA Grade C+
Utah getting two nice blocks here from C Nick Ford and LT Bam Olaseni. Ford climbs and takes 35 for a walk and Bam uses those long arms on Thibs. pic.twitter.com/znKAwaY5up
— Matt Alkire (@mattalkire) March 16, 2022
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*Top Photo:Â Courtesy of UteZone/247Sports
