So far, John Spytek has done a great job of putting together a roster for the Las Vegas Raiders entering the 2025 season.
When you look at what he has done with free agency, the 2025 NFL Draft, and the post-draft signings with their UDFAs, he has nailed it. Their draft class is very good, and their UDFA class has a handful of players that it seems like the rest of the NFL forgot to draft.
Guys like Mello Dotson, Jah Joyner, and Jailin Walker are all UDFA steals, and even a few more guys that you could add to the list. That's the making of a great GM, and while he has never been a GM before, but was an assistant GM with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, you would have never guessed.
In fact, he signed a UDFA who has a legitimate shot to become a starter in 2025. That's not me saying he will be one, but he certainly has a chance to.
Raiders UDFA LB Jailin Walker is GOOD
Jailin Walker transferred to Indiana in 2024 from James Madison University to play under coach Curt Cignetti. He played at James Madison from 2021 to 2023, played 32 games, starting 20, finishing with 142 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles, earning All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention in 2022 and 2023.
In 2024, Walker started all 13 games for Indiana, helping the Hoosiers to an 11-1 record. He recorded 80 tackles, nine tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles. His best game was against Purdue, with four tackles for loss, an interception, and a forced fumble, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Despite a brief shoulder injury, he played every game.
The Denver Broncos hosted him for a pre-draft visit, and he met with the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders, but the Raiders were able to sign him away from some pretty good teams.
Walker has the tools to be a great coverage linebacker. He isn't there yet, but with some development and being forced to do it in the NFL, he could get there. Right now, the slated starters are likely to be Elandon Roberts and Devin White, who both are bad in coverage. Someone will have to emerge as the off-ball linebacker, and I think with his speed and ball instincts, it could be Walker.
It may not happen at the beginning of the year, but I think it could certainly happen.
