Thayer Munford Jr. Talks Experience at Ohio State

In the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders got a steal when they selected a four-year starter on Ohio State's offensive line in Thayer Munford Jr.

Munford has the ability to play at both the guard and tackle positions, and his versatility could allow him to be a key contributor to Las Vegas' offensive line.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound lineman spoke with Raiders.com via Zoom on Saturday to participate in a Q&A.

Right off the bat, Munford discussed what he brings to the Raiders franchise.

"I personally think they drafted me because I'm a learner and I want to learn from everybody," Munford said. "I want to compete. I want to win. I want to win with the best and learn from the best. I'm going to be with veterans that have played a lot of football. 

"Just being able to pick their minds a little bit more will be pretty nice. And getting to know the coaching staff a lot more and compete against the best players – it's just an honor and a blessing."

Munford had the honor of blocking for three Heisman Trophy finalists as a Buckeye.

"My first quarterback I protected was Dwayne [Haskins]," he said. "May he rest in peace. I loved him -- and I still love him. Blocking for him was very special because he was my first one. He took care of me and made sure I was alright mentally because he knew I'm his blindside. I'm the one who had to protect his backside. So if I let anyone hit him, that was a shot to me.

"And with Justin [Fields], I love that guy. That's my brother, man. And anyone who came from Ohio State, that's my brother. The brotherhood is real with us. It's a blessing to have blocked for them."

Munford concluded the session with his thoughts on Sin City.

"This will be my first time ever being out there," he said. "It's a big city, there's the Strip of course. And it's just interesting to see, especially at night time, how bright everything is. Super bright and it's developing into so much more. It's an up-and-coming city."