Just In: Raiders to consider plans to sign 23 year old OL
The Raiders met with several prospects they may want to add to Coach Antonio Pierce’s squad. After an impressive interim stint in a challenging position, Pierce earned the full-time position and hopes to build off the momentum they finished the season with.
The Raiders have multiple offensive linemen entering free agency, so they may need to find replacements for those players. Center Andre James, guard Greg Van Roten, and tackle Jermaine Eluemunor are all set to become free agents. Boston College guard Christian Mahogany could be a long-term replacement if the Raiders let one of their interior offensive linemen go.
Mahogany, a First-Team All-ACC Member in 2023, met with the Raiders at the Shrine Bowl. He spoke to me about meeting with the Raiders, although he did not meet Pierce. “It was good, it was a good process,” he said. “Quick, just getting to know each other, watching some tape, that’s really about it.
Mahogany is known for being a force in the run game. I asked him what he likes most about that element of his game. “That’s just my identity,” he said. “If you turn on my tape, that’s just who I am. I just move people around, throw people around, so it’s my favorite thing to do in football, so when you turn on the tape, it just shows, so that’s my favorite thing to do, for sure.”
According to Pro Football Focus, Mahogany finished the 2023 season with a 74.5 run-blocking grade. He played 1,532 snaps at right guard and 785 snaps at left guard, so he likely will be an interior lineman in the NFL. Mahogany stands at 6-foot-3, weighs 322 pounds, and has a bulking presence.
He is an impressive athlete who can fire off the snap and get his hands into his match-up, making him an excellent run defender. The Raiders may need to get younger on the offensive line, and Mahogany could help them do that. Having an interior presence who will constantly open up running lanes will provide a new element to the Raiders’ offense.
