Ranking Oakland Raiders' Top 5 Sleepers to Watch in Camp

Several new faces with the Oakland Raiders haven’t stirred the buzz expected fresh out of the draft.

Organized team practices and minicamps have consisted of players running around without pads in shorts or sweatpants.

Defensive players, especially pass-rushers, are limited in showing their skills in the early stages of the offseason with restrictions to putting quarterbacks in harms way.

Which players have the potential to rise above the competition and shine during training camp? Here’s a quick rundown of five players set to strut their stuff when the Raiders return to the practice field in approximately three weeks.

CB/Dexter McDonald

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Dexter McDonald

The possibility of drafting another seventh-round gem hasn't conquered the anxiety surrounding the inexperience of the starting cornerbacks.

The Raiders defensive backs will benefit from practicing against a solid stable of wide receivers during the offseason. Dexter McDonald is a talented cornerback, but matching up against wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree should expedite his development. 

McDonald has the swagger and the size (6’1”, 200 lbs) to play in a tough landscape for cornerbacks as teams look to attack defenses with high-end vertical attacks—look no further than division rivals, the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. 

The former Kansas defensive back had a tamed start to the offseason, but his competitive nature during training camp should push Neiko Thorpe for snaps in the dime packages on the active roster.

DE/Benson Mayowa

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Benson Mayowa

Benson Mayowa should play a significant role in the regular season, but he must show potential to rush the quarterback during training camp. He knows his season snap count could be extended or minimized based on his offseason performance.

Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio admitted to needing a second pass-rusher, per SirusXM NFL Radio (h/t Raiders.com). Second-round pick Mario Edwards Jr. wasn’t mentioned in that capacity, leaving Mayowa an opportunity to earn a spot within the rotation at defensive end.

Mayowa registered three sacks in three of his four years at Idaho as a defensive lineman before going undrafted to the Seattle Seahawks in 2013. According to San Francisco Chronicle writer Vic Tafur via Twitter, he ended the first half of the offseason on a good note:

"

DE Benson Mayowa my Day 3 #Raiders minicamp standout. Shorter practice today as players leaving for summer vacation.

— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) June 11, 2015"

An opportunity to stake his claim as the second-best pass-rusher on the roster should provide enough fuel to deliver optimal performances during a rigorous competitive training camp for the Raiders. 

DE/Max Valles

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Max Valles

The 20-year-old Max Valles projects as the Raiders purest pass-rusher on the roster in a few years. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. can create a defensive monster out of Valles with some development during training camp.

Valles’ versatility in his play as a hybrid defensive lineman allows Norton to position the rookie on the line of scrimmage or drop him into coverage.

The Raiders sixth-round pick could outperform Mayowa if he’s unleashed during training camp. Valles’ greatest asset as a pass-rusher was likely subdued with OTA restrictions on smashing quarterbacks to the ground.

The Virginia product knows where his game needs to improve, per Raiders.com:

“Just working on a backup pass rush move, if one doesn’t work. I’ve been working on that a lot this offseason. Overall just becoming a more physical player. Coming from college to the NFL, it’s going to be a much more physical game so I just have to step it up a notch.”

Beware of Valles if he indeed made those strides to improve his pass-rushing arsenal. He could be lethal on the practice field in August.

WR/Austin Willis

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

(left) Austin Willis

Wide receiver Austin Willis returned kicks and punts on Day 1 and Day 2 of mandatory minicamp, per SilverandBlackPride.com writer Levi Damien.

He’ll compete against kick and punt return specialist Trindon Holliday for the entirety of training camp. An overcrowded wide receiving corps likely means the best man for kick returns earns a spot on the 53-man roster while the other leaves Oakland without a job.

Willis should eventually outduel Holliday because of his ability to run routes as a natural wide receiver, whereas Holliday’s skill set doesn’t stretch beyond the special teams unit.

Willis entered camp as an undrafted free agent with minimal buzz, but Raider Nation should hear his name as the front-runner to take over kick returns at the conclusion of training camp.

WR/Josh Harper

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

Josh Harper

Wide receiver Josh Harper's potential during OTAs and minicamps took a hit while quarterback Derek Carr recovered from a minor finger injury.

Harper’s well-documented chemistry with Carr dating back to Fresno State didn’t come to fruition until the final three days of mandatory minicamp before the layoff.

Harper made the effort to bury his head in the playbook and learn the X’s and O’s with his former college quarterback, per CSNBayArea.com reporter Scott Bair. His diligent studies will pay off when he takes the field for training camp.

It’s possible Harper’s connection with Carr formulates into an asset as valuable as the anticipated Carr-Cooper connection during training camp. Carr doesn’t seem to favor any particular receiver thus far, but old flames are much easier to reignite compared to setting off new sparks.

Who are your sleepers for a productive training camp? You can follow Maurice Moton on Twitter and give your opinion! 

Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com.

Player measurements courtesy of Raiders.com.