Raiders second-round receiver Jack Bech impressed in the team's 2025 rookie minicamp, along with star running back Ashton Jeanty
After leaving the 2025 NFL Draft with 11 picks, the Las Vegas Raiders had a lot to break down in rookie minicamps. All the attention was on No. 6 overall pick Ashton Jeanty, but the Raiders also kept a close eye on receiver Jack Bech and cornerback Darien Porter.
With the hype that comes from his historic collegiate career, Jeanty is the player with all the cameras on him. The early word suggests he is living up to the hype and then some, routinely turning heads in minicamp. If one Raiders rookie is standing out, Jeanty is the clear answer. However, due to Jeanty's excellence, Bech's early success is flying under the radar.
Bech, the team's second-round pick, impressed almost just as much as his first-round counterpart. The spotlight on Jeanty takes some of the pressure off of him, but Bech is still expected to immediately contribute to the Raiders' receiving room, which underwhelmed in 2024. So far, he is well on his way to doing so.
Jeanty is clearly the team's prized rookie, but Bech might be the player who exceeds expectations the most in 2025. Both will be heavily relied on off the bat, and both seem up for the challenge.
Jack Bech impressed in rookie minicamp
After being taken in the draft earlier than he expected, few rookies have a better introduction story than Jack Bech. The 22-year-old said he is a “two-for-one deal,” carrying the soul of his late brother, who was one of the victims of the 2024 New Orleans terrorist attack.
Bech's heart-wrenching story not only gave him thousands of new fans but also powered him through the Raiders' rookie minicamp. The TCU alum was “consistently open” during live sets, burning cornerbacks on several deep routes that “would've been touchdowns,” according to The Athletic's Tashan Reed.
“[Bech] was consistently open on Friday,” Reed wrote. “His best plays came toward the end of practice when he hauled in several deep balls during 11-on-11 drills that would've been touchdowns. We don't know whether he'll spend most of his time outside or in the slot, but he'll be a day-one starter if he keeps up this pace.”
The Raiders left the Green Bay draft with three new receivers on their roster — they took Dont'e Thornton Jr. in the fourth round and FCS star Tommy Mellott in the sixth — but Bech is clearly the best of the group thus far. Given Las Vegas' investment in him, that outcome was certainly expected, but the signs he is showing as a potential day-one starter are encouraging.
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Raiders need Jack Bech's production in 2025
After trading for Geno Smith early in the offseason, the Raiders addressed their two biggest offensive needs at the draft with Jeanty and Bech. Las Vegas ranked as one of the worst offensive teams in 2024, finishing in the bottom five in points per game and total yards per game, and dead last in rushing yards.
While Jeanty ideally solves the running issue, Bech joins Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker as the team's revamped receiving corps. Bowers led the way with a historic rookie season, but the group lacked supplemental production from its wideouts. Nothing should stop Bowers from leading the group again in 2025, but Bech adds a much-needed element to the offense ahead of Pete Carroll's first season.
Bowers and Meyers both topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2024, but no other player reached 600. Typically, having two 1,000-yard receivers is impressive on paper, but with the Raiders constantly playing from behind, most of the team's passing numbers are inflated beyond recognition. Disastrous quarterback play was an issue, but Las Vegas had no play-making threat at wideout.
Though he had just one successful year in college, Bech is nothing if not a big play waiting to happen. Once he finally broke through, Bech hit the ground running as a senior, catching 62 passes for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging a superb 16.7 yards per reception. TCU's offense was not elite as a unit, but Bech solidified his case as one of the quickest and twitchiest receivers in the country.
So far, everything that popped on Bech's game tape appears to be translating to the next level. The Raiders desperately need a dynamic receiver in their new-look offense, and Bech looks like the early frontrunner from minicamp.
