With Geno Smith now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, running back is a strong candidate for ‘biggest need’ in Sin City. On the bright side, veteran runner Raheem Mostert agreed to join the Silver and Black on a one-year, $1.6 million deal this offseason.
And that really is an ‘on the bright side’ addition–for more reasons than Mostert having the talent that led him to a 1,000-yard season in 2023.
As Las Vegas’ running backs coach Deland McCullough alluded to, Mostert is a pro’s pro. The 33-year-old is an athlete, a leader, and perhaps most notably, a student of the game who’s always looking for ways to improve.
“The first thing that was exciting is what [Mostert] said to me,” McCullough noted. “Coach, challenge me, push me.”
Although Mostert has 10 years of experience in the National Football League under his belt, he still knows there’s more to learn. This mentality helped Mostert crank out a 1,012-yard, 18-touchdown season on the ground at the age of 31.
“He still wants to be challenged,” McCullough continued. “In the conversion we had, I told him that I think there’s things in his game that I know for a fact I can enhance. We got on the same page with that. His physical skill; this guy can run. He’s got speed.”
While Mostert certainly won’t stop the Raiders from drafting a running back – potentially even as high as sixth-overall – it’s always a positive when a team has Raheem Mostert-type players on their roster. Experienced leaders who not only want to teach, but want to keep learning themselves.
And, if Las Vegas is lucky, that same mindset will be instilled into the younger players at the position. Including those [potentially] added through April’s draft.
