Raiders’ Rookie Duo Gets Honest About Transition to NFL

As training camp continues, the Las Vegas Raiders are getting a more defined picture of their 2025-26 roster. The club’s projected starting offensive line is looking good, especially after left tackle Kolton Miller agreed to a hefty contract extension.

It’s a pair of rookies, though, that are generating some buzz this week. Third-round picks Charles Grant and Caleb Rogers, who went back-to-back, are hard at work adjusting to life as professionals.

Charles Grant Opens up About Jump to NFL

Speaking to the media at camp, Grant got honest about the most difficult part of joining the Raiders.

“I’d say definitely the intensity,” Grant said. “The intensity is something but from rookie minicamp, after that first feeling, I kind of knew what I had to bring to the table. I think I’ve been living up to it.”

It was expected that the WM & Mary College product would take some time to get acclimated. Despite having over 2,600 collegiate snaps at left tackle, it’s a whole different game going from FCS to the NFL. That transition comes with a learning curve, which makes the Miller extension even more important.

Grant admitted a bit of doubt crept into his mind.

“I would be lying if I said there wasn’t a little doubt,” Grant said. “But I knew what I can do, so from the beginning, I kind of knew I belonged.”

With that said, he remains confident in the leap of faith panning out.

“I’d say it definitely was a jump for sure, but I don’t think it was anything I couldn’t handle,” Grant said. “Everybody tells me I belong. My parents say every day I belong, I believe I belong too. Just going out there, eyes forward, trying to get better.”

Grant says his early “welcome to the NFL” moment happened at camp. Lining up at right tackle, not his natural position, he was forced to contain Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby. As he continues to progress this offseason and into year one on the job, matchups like that are setting the tone.

Caleb Rogers Aiming to Offer Raiders Versatility Early On

Grant isn’t the only one learning on the fly. In fact, he’s doing a bit of everything this summer. The 98th overall pick seems ready for it, though.

“I’m all ears every single day,” Rogers said. “First day of training camp, I was at right guard. Next day, we’re walking out, ‘By the way, you’re at left [guard].’ Whenever I got to center, heads-up probably 10 minutes before. That’s just the expectation they have for me, to be able to rotate and play anything. That was the expectation I told them to have for me. Whenever they need me to play, whatever they need me to play, I’ll be ready for it.”

Even without real center experience, Rogers welcomes the challenge of trying something new for the Raiders. It could be a potential path to playing time given the natural attrition of the NFL.

“I played it in a lot of bowl game practices during college, played it at the Senior Bowl,” Rogers said. “Something I’m adjusting to. I’m really enjoying it, it feels natural. We’ve got to get the snaps on target more – that’s the biggest thing right now. But the position itself post-snap is feeling really fun.”

Rogers, a multi-year starter at Texas Tech, originally got his first big breaks at right tackle (2021) and left tackle (2022). The 2023 campaign saw him move back to right tackle, where he also got most of his snaps this past year. With that said, Weeks 1-4 of last season saw him spend time at either guard spot. Heck, he played both roles in Week 2’s Washington State matchup.

It’s abundantly clear that, like Grant, Rogers wants to make a good first impression.

“That was something I told them to do the whole draft process,” Rogers said. “Any team I met with, I said I’m a five-stop shop. Tackle, guard, center, wherever you want to put me. I played tackle all college. That’s the type of player I want to be. I want to be someone they can lean on me no matter where they need me to be.”