Oakland Raiders: 5 most compelling storylines to follow on Hard Knocks

With the Oakland Raiders having been officially named this year’s “Hard Knocks” team, let’s take a look at the five most compelling storylines to follow on the HBO series this summer.

The Oakland Raiders and “Hard Knocks” have appeared to be a match made in football/reality show heaven for quite some time now. That’s why when the announcement was officially made that the Raiders would be the NFL team featured on the HBO program, very few were surprised.

This is a team that will enter the year with numerous new faces all up and down the roster. And it’s safe to say that many of those new faces haven’t exactly shied away from the spotlight during their careers.

The likes of Antonio Brown, Vontaze Burfict, and Richie Incognito likely won’t come quietly and their daily ventures in Napa Valley should make for some entertaining television. The same should be said for head coach Jon Gruden who might be the most polarizing, entertaining coach in the entire NFL.

Combine all of that with three rookie first-round picks, a quarterback who’s seen his fair share of criticism from the national media, and one of the most famous franchise images in the NFL and it’s easy to see why the Raiders were the obvious choice.

In fact, there are so many possible storylines for HBO to focus on that we could hardly contain them all in just one article. So let’s just focus on what could be the five most compelling storylines “Hard Knocks” could focus on this summer.

1. Last Chance U star trying to make the team

Everybody loves an underdog story — that’s why the Netflix original show “Last Chance U” has been so successful.

For those who don’t know, the show follows the lives of players attending junior college — in this case, East Mississippi Community College — looking to earn spots with more prominent collegiate programs all in an effort to continue their NFL dreams.

One of the players that the show featured is current Raiders defensive tackle Ronald Ollie.

Ollie’s story has already been featured before on “Last Chance U” so don’t be surprised to see “Hard Knocks” follow suit and double down on his tale of persistence. The Wayne County native quickly became a fan-favorite on the show due to his lovable nature and comedic timing.

After shining at EMCC, Ollie earned a scholarship to play football at FCS Nicholls State where he excelled for two seasons before opting to turn pro. Despite going undrafted, Ollie signed on with the Raiders after impressing in his team workout.

Ollie will attempt to make the 53-man roster, although it will be tough given the crowded defensive tackle depth chart. It’s more likely he competes for a spot on the practice squad, which in and of itself should be considered a win for Ollie given everything he’s gone through in his life.

But his low status on the depth chart shouldn’t stop “Hard Knocks” from making him a primary focus of the show.