Former Tennessee Vols wide receiver Ramel Keyton received some good news on Tuesday when he learned that he made the Las Vegas Raiders' initial 53-man roster.
Keyton was signed by the Raiders as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2024 NFL Draft.
One reason why Keyton made the 53-man roster is likely because of the Raiders' final drive in their final preseason game.
The former Vol made an impressive one-handed catch that helped keep the drive alive for Las Vegas.
Incredible catch by Ramel Keyton pic.twitter.com/z2tjj8rhRV
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
It wasn't just the catch that was impressive. It was what Keyton did after the catch.
In the video clip above, the announcer notes at the end how Keyton immediately got up after making the catch and got the football to the official, potentially saving precious seconds with less than a minute remaining in the game.
That's something that Josh Heupel preaches to his players at Tennessee. The Vols' tempo on offense requires players to get up quickly and to find the official to hand them the football. That simple move allows Tennessee's tempo to operate efficiently.
For Keyton, handing the ball to the official in the two minute drill is muscle memory. It's something he did after every catch at Tennessee.
It's a simple move that doesn't sound like a big deal. But if a player doesn't operate that way in the two minute drill in the NFL, then it could cost the team a valuable timeout (or valuable seconds on the clock). It's something that not every young player quickly grasps (or remembers to do in the moment).
It's just another trait that helps former Tennessee players be even more ready for the NFL.
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