The 2025 Raiders were on pace for one of the worst special teams unit in the NFL, before firing Tom McMahon, where they improved slightly to still bottom 50 in NFL history. The Raiders missed the most tackles in the NFL on special teams, and they also allowed 2 blocked punts. The Raiders hired former NFL special teams coach Joe DeCamilis this off-season, and the near 30 year coaching veteran has seen majority of his special teams units rank inside the top half of the NFL. Special teams can be crucial to a teams’ success in the NFL, and their success to carry wins into the playoffs or farther. Las Vegas added receiver Dareke Young, a staple of the Seahawks special teams unit since he entered the NFL in 2022. Young has been a pivotal returner with a career 24 tackles, 2 FF, 3 recoveries, and a blocked punt while only missing 9 tackles. Additionally, Young has added 300 yards on 10 attempts as a kick returner, though his main impact for special teams will come as a true gunner where he’s been among the best in the NFL.
Additionally, Las Vegas signed linebacker Segun Olubi, who has made his career off special teams logging 1104 snaps in his career. Olubi has 31 tackles, just 7 missed tackles, 3 blocked punts, a fumble recovery, and forced fumble in his NFL career. Olubi has some experience on defense, and could make a role for himself this season for Las Vegas defensively, but Olubi has been close to an All-Pro and Pro-Bowler in his career, where his impact should be heavy for the Raiders on special teams. Olubi has done most of his work as a rusher on punts, while also having a gunner role on punts & kicks. The Raiders also have Tommy Eichenberg returning, and the 2024 fifth round selection carved out a strong role on special teams in 2025 posting 377 snaps with 20 tackles and just 3 missed tackles. In his career he’s already logged 29 tackles, a FR, and just 6 missed tackles while being the 9th highest ranked special teamer, per PFF since 2024. Eichenberg may have a role on defense this season, but when paired next to Olubi & Young it’s hard to find a better special teams trio than what Las Vegas is putting together. In addition to those three, Las Vegas has linebacker Cody Lindenberg, a 2025 7th rounder, who logged 370 snaps on special teams with 9 tackles and 0 missed tackles, he also ranked 11th per PFF in Special Teams grade. 2024 4th rounder Decamerion Richardson added 10 tackles with 1 miss after being relegated to pure special teams duties in 2025, while Dylan Laube (5 tackles, 1 miss), and Shedrick Jackson (2 tackles, 0 miss in 21 snaps) provides some impact.
The Raiders needed to add impact players on special teams, adding a pivotal return specialist will be the next step, unless the hope is Dareke Young can develop into an impact special teamer. Runningback Dylan Laube did provide some impact on kick returns with 33 returns, 855 yards (25.9 avg), and a long of 58 yards. Laube has logged returns north of 55 yards each of the last two seasons, and he ranked 7th in the NFL for average yards/return, while also forcing 11 missed tackles on 33 returns. The Raiders blocking on special teams hasn’t been phenomenal, neither has their tackling, and adding better coaching will help the blocking aspects with Young, Olubi, and Eichenberg plus others adding impacts as tacklers, also with better coaching. Special teams does require more than the tackling, protection, and potential for blocked punts (which Las Vegas desperately could use more of), and relies heavily on the foot of your kicker, punter, and long snapper. The Raiders let Daniel Carlson walk this off-season after he’s seen his career average fall each of the last four seasons, and started to struggle with consistency especially from 50+ yards. Las Vegas signed veteran Matt Gay, who was worse than Carlson in 2025 converting 17 of 23 attempts (74%) and just 4/9 from 50+. However, Gay did have success under DeCamilis with the Rams back in 2021 making his lone Pro Bowl after converting 32 of 34 and 5 of 5 from 50+. AJ Cole returns as the teams punter, and his 48.5 yards per punt is on pace to be an All-Time Career record, and currently is. Cole saw the first season of his career with a sub 50 average since 2021, and he missed an All-Pro honor for the first time since 2021 as well. Cole should see a bounce back in 2026, and he’ll remain one of the best punters in the NFL. Additionally, Las Vegas let long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer, who did struggle at times with poor or slow snaps walk, and signed former Rams long snapper Alex Ward to a futures contract. Ward a former UDFA, has experience with DeCamilis, and was the Rams starting long snapper in both 2023 and 2024 before being released halfway through the 2025 season amid some struggles.
Rookies & Draft
The Raiders aren’t going to role into the 2026 season without competition for Ward & Gay, and that’s been noticeable off their pre draft processes, where the team has met with numerous long snappers and kickers. Las Vegas held a private workout with Boston College long snapper Ben Mann, viewed as one of the better snappers in the class and the former Yale long snapper has a career 8 tackles and a FF as well on special teams. Mann, 6’5, 235, ranked among the top of the class in speed of his snaps, and has shown good placements on kicks/punts as well. The Raiders also held a similar private workout with New Mexico kicker Luke Drzewiecki, and the 6’0, 200-pounder converted 51 of his 65 attempts (78.5%) including a long of 47, and 120 of his 122 extra points. Drzewiecki attempted just 2 50+ attempts and missed both but was 14/18 on 40+ attempts while finishing 2025 18/19 with his lone miss from 57 yards, which had the leg. College kickers routinely have lower conversion rates comparative to NFL kickers, largely due to inconsistency’s in talent, but also the diverse hash differences which make angles and distances a massive challenge for college kickers comparative to the NFL.
Las Vegas held a meeting with UConn kicker Chris Freeman, who’s converted 53 of his 66 attempts with a long of 54+ and is 4/8 on 50+ attempts in his career. Freeman also converted 5/6 from 50+ and 13/14 during his pro day which included a 65 yarder. The Raiders will host UNLV LS Andrew Mcilquham at their local day, along with others. Iowa K Drew Stevens (76/95, 58 long including 22/28 in 2025) and Florida K Trey Smack (53/64, 56 long including 18/21 in 2025) met with the Raiders during the Combine, with Stevens also meeting with Las Vegas during the Senior Bowl. The Raiders also met with Georgia LS Brett Thorson, and Michigan K Dom Zvada (26/38, 56 long including 17/25 in 2025) at the Combine. The Raiders met with BYU K Will Ferrin (58/71, 56 long including 23/30 in 2025) and Oregon LS Luke Basso at the Senior Bowl, as well. The Raiders are expected to host a workout with Hawaii kicker Kansei Matsuzawa (25/39, 45 long including 27/29 in 2025) who’s regarded as one of the best kickers in the class. Las Vegas also met with UNC’s Rece Verhoff (19/23, 58 long in 2025), NC A&T’s Andrew Brown (40/56, 58 long including 15/17 in 2025), and Oregon’s Atticus Sappington (33/40, 52 long including 19/24 in 2025) at their Pro Days, among others. In terms of long snappers, Las Vegas has met with BYU’s Garrison Grimes, the top LS in the class, UNC’s Spencer Triplett, Duke’s Curtis Cooper, Montana’s Grayson Pibal, and Clemson’s Phillip Florenzo at their pro days. Fresno State LS Wesley Brown is expected to attend the Raiders local day.
UFL
I don’t imagine the Raiders will tap into any more free agents from NFL rosters, instead looking to add a late round rookie, and/or UDFA instead to compete with Gay & Ward. Despite this, the UFL has shown a recent track record of landing top kickers in the NFL including arguably the NFL’s two best with Brandon Aubrey & Jake Bates both coming from the UFL. Notable names to keep eyes on include (all stats are 1 game):
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Tucker McCann: 3/4, 58 long | Previously spent time with the Titans in 2020 & 2021 not recording a kick
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Matt McCrane: 1/2, 60 long | 8/12 including 0/2 on 50+ in NFL career, hasn’t recorded NFL kick since 2018. Has spent time with DC Defenders at a career 91%
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Rodrigo Blankenship: 0/0 | Among the top kickers in the UFL for 2025, is a career 47 of 56 in the NFL including 2/5 from 50+. Converted 94% of his 50+ attempts in the UFL throughout his last two seasons (2024-2025)
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