Raiders UDFA Pass-Rushing Specialist Named ‘Rookie to Watch’ Entering 2025

The Las Vegas Raiders did some great work in the 2025 NFL Draft by landing Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty to help drastically improve the outlook of the new look offense with Geno Smith now under center.

Yet, one analyst believes one Raiders’ rookie undrafted free agent (UDFA) on the defensive side of the ball is worth keeping an eye on entering the 2025 NFL season.

Could Jah Joyner be the Perfect Complement to Maxx Crosby on Raiders’ Defensive Line?

Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Maxx Crosby has already established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL, but what is the plan the opposite of him?

Well, Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports believes undrafted free agent Minnesota EDGE Jah Joyner is a rookie to keep an eye on during the next few months of the Raiders’ preseason leading up to the 2025 NFL season.

Trapasso wrote, “I cannot, for the life of me, comprehend how Jah Joyner went undrafted. Maybe it was the bad agility-drill times at the combine. No wonder so many prospects opt out. Because on the field, the former Gophers captain played at NFL-caliber and has the size needed to live on the edge as a professional.”

Joyner’s sack production didn’t mirror some of the top edge rushers in this class with just 14.5 sacks over his 43 collegiate games with the Golden Gophers, but Trapasso believes those numbers may be a bit deceiving when you dig a little bit deeper.

Trapasso added, “At over 6-foot-4 and 262 pounds with a wingspan in the 82nd percentile among edge rushers, Joyner consistently won on the outside with length, overwhelming power and an ascending collection of pass-rush moves in his final three seasons in Minneapolis. He played as the consummate, run-halting stud on early downs, and despite long, lumbering strides, was productive as a pass-rusher too, with a pressure rate of 14.7% in those three campaigns.”

Does Jah Joyner Have a Chance of Making an On-Field Impact for the Raiders in 2025?

Trapasso made a strong case for Joyner making the final roster for the 2025 NFL season, but is there a path to the undrafted rookie taking the field in year one?

Malcolm Koonce is expected to be the full-time starter opposite of Crosby entering the season, which is justified after producing eight sacks back in 2023. Yet, an ACL injury cost him sustained prior to the start of the 2024 season put him on the shelf for the entirety of his fourth season in the league.

If Koonce suffers any setbacks or has diminished returns upon returning to the field, it could open some snaps for other edge rushers on the roster.

Trapasso concluded his thoughts on Joyner by touching on the current EDGE depth chart in Las Vegas by writing, “The Raiders have a formidable edge-rushing pairing in Maxx Crosby on injury returnee Malcolm Koonce. And despite Crosby’s general disdain for leaving the field, Las Vegas will need backups to contribute at that position. I have minimal doubts about Joyner outplaying his undrafted status and asserting himself as a three-down asset for the Raiders during his rookie contract.”

Joyner still has a long climb to a full-time role on the field for the Raiders’ defense as an undrafted free agent, but he certainly feels like a player worth monitoring this preseason.