Raider fans don’t have a lot to be excited about at the moment, but one glimmer of hope going into next season and beyond is second-round pick Jackson Powers-Johnson.
Powers-Johnson moved to center in week 9 and walked away from the game with the highest game grade from Pro Football Focus of any Raider offensive lineman this season (90.6).
Dylan Parham technically recorded a high game grade against Steelers in week 6, but he only played 20 snaps in the game.
Due to injury, Powers-Johnson missed the first two games of the regular season and has shown flashes of solid play since getting his conditioning back. Still, it wasn’t until he moved to center last week that Powers-Johnson consistently stood out on film.
On the season, JPJ has been at his best as a run blocker, but it’s noteworthy that he has only given up one sack on the season in 264 pass-blocking snaps.
Even more encouraging was a nugget dropped last week by Las Vegas Review-Journal insider Vinny Bonsignore…
“A very interesting, you know, insight onto JPJ, because if you talk to people in the Raiders building, right now, he’s just getting it done on effort and toughness,” Bonsignore said on Raider Nation Radio’s The Morning Tailgate. “He’s so far behind on the technical side of it, because he missed so much football in the spring and in the summer that that’s playing catch up right now. And they eventually think he’s going to definitely get that part of it down, but he’s holding his own, just being the toughest guy out there.”
Aside from his massive potential and improved play, there’s also another reason to be encouraged by Powers-Johnson in his first NFL season.
Apparently, he’s developing into one of the leaders in the locker room, as well…
x: @raidersbeat
Carr, hunter r, josh j, and others were let go because certain jackoffs wanted one superstar …i wonder how long before those buttheads in the front office want to trade him instead of building a good football team… if MD had sold the Raiders to Ronnie lott and company the Raiders would still be in Oakland with home field advantage and winning and him and his pal tom b would be spending his money with their lost Vegas dream team… all that money he’s been paying out for superstars and quarterbacks well it is his team to ruin…
Nothing against tom b BUT it’s kinda strange why he wants to be part owner of the Raiders…or how long before him and his business partners push MD out… seems like the owner is listening to to many people who aren’t really Raiders… Raiders football isn’t just football it’s a way of Life …
Jpj is the real deal. Bulk up and get bigger and stronger you’re a rookie. Your potential is sky high. Hope everything works out for you, you will a force to reckon with for years. All the best to you sir.