Oakland Raiders: 5 Training camp standouts for 2018

1. Kolton Miller, LT

No move made by the Oakland Raiders this offseason drew more criticism than when they drafted UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller. The kid is surely an athletic freak, but taking him at No. 15 overall felt like a massive reach.

So far in camp though, he’s starting to prove that maybe the Raiders knew what they were doing. Again Eddie Paskal is one of the people who has been singing the praises of Miller, especially watching him take on the electric Arden Key in practice.

For what it’s worth, the Raiders also don’t have to throw Miller into the fire right away. With Donald Penn under contract, they already have a capable left tackle who can block Derek Carr’s blindside. Of course, he’s 35 years old and currently injured, so this could very well be his final season with the Raiders.

This gives them plenty of options. Miller can start on the right side to get snaps or play as the reserve swing tackle if the team feels he isn’t ready. If Miller is ready, he can be the guy now and it’s not like they’re giving up on a young player in Penn.

The good news though is through the early portion of camp, it seems like they got themselves a real player in Miller, even if it was controversial when made.