All Las Vegas Raiders fans know that the organization is one of the most prestigious franchises in football history. The team is now comfortably settled in Nevada at Allegiant Stadium and is working towards writing the next chapter in their story.
Key to this are the players who are responsible for delivering on-field success. As you might expect in the modern game, this sees players born in a variety of states turning out for the side. But which states do the Raiders pull from when you take a look at the current roster?
California is King
A deeper look into where current Raiders players hail from shows that California is by far the best-represented state. This includes far more players from California than any other state on the team’s 2023 roster, from young quarterback Chase Garbers to All-Pro wideout Davante Adams and powerful free safety Marcus Epps.
Other current players on the Raiders squad who come from California include running back Sincere McCormick, wide receiver DeAndre Carter, tight end Austin Hooper, Hroniss Grasu at center, and offensive tackle Kolton Miller.
This is not surprising when you think of how popular football is in California, how many people the state is home to, and how many universities it has to recruit from. The Raiders’ history in California is also a reason for the franchise’s penchant for recruiting from this state.
Louisiana isn’t too far behind for the Raiders
Although it may come as a surprise to some fans, a look at the 2023 Raiders roster shows that players such as Brandon Bolden, Cam Sims, Jerry Tillery, Amik Robertson, and Roderic Teamer come from the Bayou State. This makes it stand out as a popular state for the team to recruit from.
But why might this be the case? A lot comes down to the love in Louisiana for football and how many people there like to play the game. This love for football can also be seen in the number of people there who like to bet on the sport. BetRivers Sportsbook Louisiana, available to residents, shows just what sports betting platforms have to offer those in the Creole State.
Texas should not be forgotten…
Anyone who knows about states famed for producing NFL talent knows that Texas cannot be ignored. This is very true for the current Raiders lineup, since a good proportion of the team comes from the Lone Star State.
Texas-born NFL pros on the 2023 Raiders roster include:
- Austin Walter
- Chris Lacy
- Adam Butler
- Maxx Crosby
- Trevon Moehrig
As with California and Louisiana, there are some specific reasons why the Raiders seem to prefer recruiting from Texas. Football is extremely popular in this state, and this means a steady stream of youngsters in Texas play the game.
The state is also home to many top-class college teams for NFL teams to keep tabs on and is a convenient place geographically for the Nevada-based Raiders to recruit from. This becomes important when the side is looking to find the best talent to help grow the legacy owner Mark Davis is building.
What do previous Raiders teams tell us about their recruitment choices?
The above shows a good snapshot of the current states from which the side mostly recruits. This, of course, is not considering others that run them close, such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. But are these states the same as those that the side has mostly recruited from in their history?
While it is impossible to check every single Raiders roster ever to confirm this, looking at some of the best players in the team’s past and seeing where many of them come from will help.
California and Texas show up again
When you look back at a list of the greatest Raiders players ever, you’ll soon notice that both California and Texas are well represented. This appears to confirm that these states have long been fertile recruiting grounds for the franchise.
From Texas, for example, you have the legendary multiple Super Bowl winner Gene Upshaw. You can also add Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, tough-tackling Lester Hayes, and Mike Haynes at cornerback. Although this is a mere snapshot in terms of player recruitment, it does show that Texas has always been somewhere the team has looked when recruiting players.
California can also claim the same, and it has provided the Raiders with a source of awesome talent over time. This includes swashbuckling running back Marcus Allen, iconic quarterback Jim Plunkett, and recent long-time starting signal-caller Derek Carr.
Popular states for the Raiders to recruit from
When you note that Georgia has historically been a state that many current and ex-Raiders players hail from. So, it becomes clear that certain places do seem to be favorites for the franchise when tracking down new talent.
*Top Photo: Scott Winters/Icon Sports Wire via Getty Images