Keelan Doss is taking his best shot to be an NFL wide receiver.
The Alameda native, an undrafted player out of UC Davis, has been a standout for the Raiders in training camp and through three games of the exhibition season.
On Thursday night in a bizarre exhibition against the Packers in Winnipeg, Canada – played on a field shortened to 80 yards for safety reasons – Doss led the Raiders with 52 yards receiving on four catches, including a terrific toe-tap catch along the sidelines for a 17-yard gain.
In three preseason games he’s the team’s leading receiver with 11 receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Though Doss knows he’s in a fight for a roster spot, he said after Thursday’s game he can’t focus on anything but his own performance.
“I’m just playing my game,” he told reporters. “I feel like a lot of dudes or certain dudes, they start thinking about where they’re going to fit in. For me, man, it’s just going out there and just executing and doing my job. I just try to play at my highest level and let the rest take care of itself."
As Levi Damien of SB Nation points out, the Raiders are expected to carry seven wideouts, and the list of likely keepers is Antonio Brown, Tyrell Williams, Hunter Renfrow, Ryan Grant, J.J. Nelson and Dwayne Harris (also a fine punt and kick returner). So, Doss will have to beat out one of them to make it to the regular season. Or, an injury or trade could open a door for him.
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It’s not impossible. In fact, after Thursday’s game, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden told the media that several undrafted rookies have strong shots.
“We might have five undrafted players make the team, that’s the story most people are missing,” said Gruden.
Damien suggest Doss is one, along with punter A.J. Cole, fullback Alec Ingold, defensive tackle Anthony Rush, cornerback Keisean Nixon and center Andre James.
The Raiders’ final exhibition game is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29, against the Seahawks in Seattle. Rosters must be trimmed to 53 players by Aug. 31.
