Oakland Raiders: Four UDFA’s who could earn a spot on the 53-man roster
By Kevin Saito
Marcus Baugh, TE, Ohio State
The Raiders let go of Clive Walford earlier this offseason, which was something of a surprising move to many, given his level of (mostly untapped) potential. The move left them with only Jared Cook as a viable pass catching target for quarterback Derek Carr.
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They then re-signed in-house free agent Lee Smith, and added free agent Derek Carrier, giving them a pair of solid blocking tight ends. And given what we know of Gruden and his desire to bring back some power running to Oakland’s offense, both figure to see extensive action.
However, Gruden is also something of an innovative offensive mind, and it stands to reason that pass catching tight ends will play a role in his offense. Perhaps, they’ll figure prominently down in the red zone.
If that’s the case, Cook will likely see plenty of targets, but the team will need some added depth at the position. Which gives Marcus Baugh a chance to crack the 53-man roster.
Although Baugh leaves much to be desired as a blocker, that fact shouldn’t hamper his ability to help, offensively speaking. At six-foot-four, 247 pounds, he’s got good size and length, and he possesses decent speed, having run a 4.8 40.
Baugh would definitely need to clean up some aspects of his game to have a realistic shot, but he’s a two-time All Big Ten honorable mention, notching 573 yards and 12 touchdowns on 52 receptions the past two seasons with the Buckeyes.