With the 44th overall pick in this year’s draft, the Raiders selected the nation’s top center Jackson Powers-Johnson. The reigning Rimington Award Winner was announced as a guard because that’s where the Raiders will be playing him. At least initially.
The question was which guard position. Most assumed right guard because the Raiders have Dylan Parham on the left side. That may end up being that case because there’s a long time until the start of the season, but day one it was left guard where the rookie saw his first snaps in a Raiders uniform.
“It felt great. I haven’t played left guard in a bit, but it’s a new challenge and that’s exciting,” said Powers-Johnson. “When you kind of get to step out of your comfort zone or do something that you haven’t done as much that’s fun for me. That’s what football is all about, that’s what life’s all about. You’re not going to just do everything the same every day, and now I get to do something new. And yeah, it’s been pretty seamless, but there’s stuff I need to work on and that’s really exciting to me.”
Last season was Powers-Johnson’s first as a full time starter, playing every snap at center. But prior to that, he lined primarily at right guard, having started just one game at left guard as a freshman in 2021. He also had a start at right guard and defensive tackle.
This alignment could be a sign of things to come, or it could just be something the Raiders are trying out for rookie minicamp. We’ll know more about the Raiders’ plans for Powers-Johnson when he is joined by the rest of his teammates in OTA’s and minicamp.