Dylan Parham "Thankful" for Opportunity with Raiders

Despite not having either a first or second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders were still able to make significant improvements with this year's class. 

It starts with former Memphis guard Dylan Parham, who the Raiders selected in the third round after many draft analysts thought he could have gone much earlier. 

Speaking with the media for the first time after getting picked, Parham spoke first about the interest the Raiders had in him and how grateful he is for the opportunity. 

"I think I was on their (Raiders) radar," said Parham. 

"We did have a conversation during the combine, and I'm sure there was a lot of interest, and I'm thankful and blessed they've given me this opportunity." 

One of the standout traits of Parham going into the draft was his versatility, having taken reps at guard, center, and tackle over the course of his college career. 

He said he's ready to play wherever the Raiders decide to put him and having that ability to play multiple spots should make Parham a valuable asset. 

"I'm most definitely confident in my ability and I'm ready to go out there and showcase that," Parham said. 

"I feel like that's one of the things they (Raiders) enjoyed about my play-style with me having multiple looks at different positions." 

It also helps with Parham's background of being a defensive end before his transition to guard, and already knows some of the tendencies he'll have to prepare for. 

"I try to look for the tips and tricks, try to figure out what I didn't do as well...especially on pass downs, it does help me to have some insight as to what those defenders would be doing," Parham said. 

 It's certainly not a bad reference point to use as an offensive lineman, and any mental edge should be able to help Parham in his adjustment to the NFL. 

He'll also need to be ready for the expectations that Raiders fans have for him and what they expect to see from the team's offensive line, but Parham sounds ready to let his play do the talking. 

"I'm looking forward to meeting my teammates and the coaching staff there pretty soon," Parham said. 

"Really excited to be there, be in town and get ready to play some football. It's about that time."