HENDERSON, Nev.–The Las Vegas Raiders, under the leadership of new General Manager Tom Telesco, concluded the 2024 NFL Draft today.
By all accounts, the Silver and Black had a tremendous draft, drawing accolades around the NFL world for the successful work of Tom Telesco and his staff.
The Las Vegas Raiders seventh round (#229) pick, RB Dylan Laube of New Hampshire, spoke, and we have all he said for you when you read the transcript below:
Sixth-Round Pick (No. 208 Overall) RB Dylan Laube
Q: I see you have a lot of different facets to your game, I just wanted to know what part of your game
you take the most pride in?
Laube: “Yeah, first of all, I think special teams is, if not the most important, the most underrated thing in a football game. I mean, we got offense, defense, and also special teams. And I take pride in playing, of course, running back and receiver. But also, special teams I feel like is what separates me from every running back in this class. And I think me being able to do a bunch of different stuff like kick return, punt return, gunner, jammer. I think I’m able to do so many different things. I’m so excited, I’m just jacked up right now.”
Q: How much did you talk to teams, especially with the new kickoff rule, that they wanted to bring
somebody in that could return kicks? And how much did you kind of know when those rules went in
that this is definitely going to open my door a little bit more to the NFL?
Laube: “Oh, yeah, I mean, after when that rule kind of came in I was like that is so crucial for me just as a player because now it kind of adds that aspect to the game right now. You definitely need a returner or two. So, me being a four-year starter as a kick returner is so crucial and I think it’s going to bring that extra element on special teams too. It’s going to be so crucial, and I think it’s just going to be a fun time, man, because I’m able to return kicks now. So, it’s definitely going to be a fun ride.”
Q: I was wondering just about the culture that they’re trying to build here and how you feel that you
fit into that? Laube: “Oh yeah, actually when I was on the phone with Coach [Antonio] Pierce, I said, ‘Hey coach, you got a dog.’ He was like, ‘Hey, Dylan, that’s our culture here, just a bunch of dogs.’ And I’m super excited man, just because it’s just a bunch of gritty, hard-nosed dudes, man. It’s going to be so fun. I can’t wait to suit up in the Black and Gray, it’s going be so fun. I’m so excited.”
Q: How productive do you think your experience at the Senior Bowl was in kind of putting yourself on
the map and did you have any really constructive or really good conversation with the Raiders while
you were there?
Laube: “You know what, I think me coming from a small school it was so important to show who I was at as a player, especially at the Senior Bowl against the best of the best. And being able to perform one-onones, run the ball, and show my special teams skills was so important. I got to show teams that ‘Hey, I truly belong at this level.’ And no, I think I talked to the Raiders one time at the Senior Bowl, it was more about the scouts and me as a person, my personality. And I don’t know, it’s a crazy feeling, man. I had no idea what to expect today, and when I got that call, man, it’s such an unreal feeling and I’m glad it’s with Vegas.”
Q: I want to take you back to a few years ago because you’re a no-star recruit, one of those guys that
believed in himself and did what you had to do at New Hampshire. Can you just talk about that journey
and take a few moments to realize the accomplishment of getting drafted?
Laube: “Yeah. Especially coming from a small town in New York, it’s just a surreal feeling, man. Exactly
what you said. No-star kid. I only had one offer, which was New Hampshire. And yeah, I mean for my
whole life, I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder from pewee until now. I’ve always wanted to prove
who I was. And I don’t want to curse, and I won’t, but I have always said ‘screw everyone’, and I just focus on myself, and I just grind. And it’s been a tough journey for me and my family, but I’m back here now and I’m ready. I’m so ready for camp, to go to Vegas. I’m just jacked up. I cannot wait to win so many games, win a Super Bowl, and just kind of just dominate it, man. I’m so excited. I’m so excited.”
Q: Being on the other side of the country and playing in New Hampshire, what do you know about this
organization and the history of it and what it means and everything? And beyond that, how did you get a Raiders hat so quick?
Laube: “The Raiders are probably one of the most iconic teams – it’s probably the Raiders, Cowboys,
Steelers, if not the most iconic teams just from that smashmouth ball, those iconic teams, Coach [John] Madden. And just like those iconic black and gray is probably, if not one of the most, the coolest team names and cultures. And then when you guys moved to Vegas, I was like, ‘Oh, damn.’ Because if you think about Vegas, man, whatever happens in Vegas man stays in Vegas. So, it’s definitely got to be a crazy atmosphere there. Actually, my dad bought all 32 teams just in case, but I think tomorrow he’s going to have to return 31 caps. So, it’s going to be a tough pill to take, but at the end of the day we’re just super excited about today.”
Q: If you had to equate your game to someone, who do you think your game is reflective of in the NFL
right now? Laube: “Well, right now, I think the way I play is just so versatile and of course there’s so many backs. I mean, I can say Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Alvin Kamara. There are so many backs in the league, especially in today’s game where versatility is so huge and where you need guys that play running back, receiver, special teams. It’s so crucial now and I think my game has kind of evolved in a sense where I’ve kind of now have modeled my game after receivers, running backs, return specialists, but I think kind of the guy that I look to is definitely like a Christian McCaffrey.”
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