Raiders Officially Sign Several Rookies - What it Means
When the decision was made to draft Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall, the Las Vegas Raiders knew that his protection needed to be stout. The team's newest franchise quarterback has a veteran center in Tyler Linderbaum, who was signed in free agency to a record-breaking contract. Now, they have signed another offensive lineman to protect Mendoza.
On Thursday, the Raiders announced they had signed third-round draft selection and Texas A&M Aggies offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III to a four-year standard rookie contract.
It is a routine move for General Manager John Spytek, as the First Team All-SEC tackle and co-winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, awarded to the top SEC offensive lineman, is locked in for the next several seasons as he begins his new journey in the NFL.
What Signing Zuhn Means for the Raiders
Sometimes, first-year players can take most of the summer working on their rookie contract, especially the language within the deal that is rarely, if ever, disclosed to the public. There have been instances in the past when even third-round picks have taken their time. Yet in this instance, the Raiders and Zuhn wasted no time, as the two sides reached an agreement a week after the NFL Draft.
No drama, no holdouts, no controversy of any kind: Zuhn, for all intents and purposes, said, "Let's go play some ball." That's basically what this quick agreement is. As for the general purpose of the signing, Zuhn becomes a rookie in competition for significant playing time along the offensive line.
While he was drafted as a center, Zuhn will likely play guard and some swing tackle if he doesn't start immediately. He is a versatile athlete who can play any of the five offensive line positions. Zuhn started 50 of his 54 games played throughout his collegiate career and was a cornerstone for Texas A&M's offensive line for the past few years.
The versatility, athleticism, and football intelligence are incredibly valuable to the Raiders' offensive line. Zuhn was impressive to watch at Texas A&M, and if he had been drafted anywhere else with a need at center, he likely would have started at that spot. His limited flashes showed a player who could be a Day 1 starter in the middle of the offensive front.
What's Next After Signing Zuhn to Rookie Deal
Zuhn will now compete for the starting left or right guard spots during training camp. Spytek did a swell job adding talents across the Raiders' rookie class who can compete for playing time right away. Zuhn can be one of the standouts from this first-year group over the coming seasons.
In other news, Spytek also signed a majority of the draft class to rookie deals, including second-round defensive back Treydan Stukes, fourth-round running back Mike Washington Jr, fifth-round safety Dalton Johnson, fifth-round cornerback Hezekiah Masses, sixth-round wide receiver Malik Benson, and seventh-round defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland. Mendoza and fourth-round cornerback Jermod McCoy remain unsigned.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/raiders/onsi as Raiders Officially Sign Several Rookies - What it Means.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 5:43 PM.