Oakland Raiders should not have waived Keelan Doss
The Oakland Raiders moving on from undrafted rookie receiver Keelan Doss could come back to bite them.
The Oakland Raiders found a diamond in the rough when they signed Keelan Doss as an undrafted free agent. Doss absolutely dominated the FCS level, piling up 321 career receptions for 4,069 yards and 28 touchdowns as a four-year contributor at UC Davis.
Obviously, we were unsure if Doss could make a successful transition from low-level college football to the NFL. There are a lot of guys who play well against FCS college teams who completely flame out in the NFL. However, Doss looked different.
He was a consistent playmaker for the Oakland Raiders throughout the preseason, showing the ability to create separation against man coverage and find open space against zone coverage. He is a smart and smooth receiver whose route running is undoubtedly a weapon for him on the field.
Plus, if you have watched any of Hard Knocks with the Oakland Raiders, you know that head coach Jon Gruden loved this guy. Gruden consistently brought Doss’ name up during practice and games, going to him many times when the Raiders simply needed someone to make a play.
Doss does have relatively limited upside. He is not a burner on the outside and he not going to be overly impressive in jump ball situations. Simply put, his overall athleticism is limited. That being said, it’s not like he is a bad athlete. Doss is quick enough to create instant separation and has enough speed to be a consistent threat on the outside.
Most importantly, this guy knows how to get open and he consistently catches the ball. He will rarely blow you away with a highlight reel player, but Doss is a good, solid receiver who can undoubtedly make an impact in the NFL.
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I am sure the Raiders are going to try to sneak Doss onto the practice squad, but I would be shocked if they can make that happen. Somebody is going to step up and make this guy a priority. With the right opportunity, I fully believe that Doss could become a productive NFL receiver. He is never going to be a true number one guy, but he undoubtedly has the ability to be a rock-solid second or third option.