Undrafted tight end Gabe Holmes could be a Raiders steal
With incumbent Mychal Rivera, free-agent addition Lee Smith, and new draft pick Clive Walford, the Raiders appear pretty set at tight end.
But one undrafted rookie could make his case to stick as the team's fourth option this summer during training camp.
Purdue's Gabe Holmes looks like a basketball player at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds. He was Preseason Mackey Award Watch player in 2013, but a broken wrist interrupted what would've been a breakout season. He struggled to regain his star form in 2014, and that's why no team selected him this season.
If healthy, Holmes has a lot of Julius Thomas-like qualities. He played as both an in-line tight end and a flex option, but he admitted the latter might've adversely impacted his draft stock.
"Playing in two different offenses, I lined up a lot in the slot as a standup tight end," Holmes told the National Football Post. "I have strengths lining up in the slot and creating separation. I played in a pro-style offense, lining up tight or in the wing or in the slot. I feel like I can make plays. . . I haven't scratched my ceiling yet."
His frame would suggest the Raiders see him as a blocker first, though. They signed Smith this offseason to be their blocking tight end, but the better man usually wins during summer practices.