UC Davis WR Keelan Doss looking to catch on with Oakland Raiders

Keelan Doss will be working to land his first NFL job this summer. The undrafted UC Davis wide receiver has the skill set needed to make the Oakland Raiders roster.

Keelan Doss is a statistical standout and a physical specimen. He possesses an NFL-ready frame, 4.40 speed in the forty-yard-dash, and a high football IQ. Yet, he will be competing for one of the Oakland Raiders‘ 53 roster spots as an undrafted free agent (UFA) come July.

A Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-Conference selection and a second-team FCS All-American in 2018, Doss will be fighting for a job with the Oakland Raiders later this summer.

A Bay Area native and product of UC Davis, Doss finds himself chasing down his dream of playing in the NFL in his own backyard. Yet, even with his impressive stats and physical gifts, Doss will have his work cut out for him come July when NFL training camps open.

Filling A Need

With established deep threats Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams locking up the outside, Doss’ best bet to find work lies inside, at the slot position. At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, the former Aggie will be competing with 2019 fifth round pick, Hunter Renfrow, and a handful of established receivers for playing time in Jon Gruden’s offense.

On paper, Doss reads like a prototypical outside threat with the ability to dominate smaller corners with his size and route-running ability. He is deceptively fast and catches contested balls at their highest point, making him a threat at any position, in any scheme.

However, if Doss is going to secure a roster spot — without having to play solely on special teams — he is going to need to learn to run routes from the slot.

Success In The Slot

Moving an outside threat into the slot for the sake of production is nothing new for the Raiders. The same experiment took place with former wideout, Amari Cooper, and produced outstanding results.

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By no means is this a comparison of Doss and Cooper, but hard evidence of the success that is possible with such a move. Doss’ aptitude for running clean, crisp routes and his size advantage over most slot corners presents an obvious opportunity for Gruden and the Raiders.

Allowing Doss to work the middle of the field on underneath routes will give quarterback Derek Carr a third option and a security blanket to replace recently departed tight end, Jared Cook.

Making The Cut

There’s room in the Raiders’ offense for a player like Doss. He has size, speed, hands, and smarts; a perfect package for a team in need of legit playmakers.