At Arkansas, Denver Kirkland was a big man in both size and impact. At 6-foot-4 and 335 pounds, he started at both guard and tackle and paved the way for a strong Razorbacks rushing attack while being part of a line that allowed just 36 sacks over three seasons.
But after his 2015 season, Kirkland decided to come out for the NFL draft and forgo his senior season.
That didn’t quite work out the way he was hoping.
He didn’t fare well at the NFL Combine in February, turning in some very slow running times while grading out as the lowest of 46 offensive linemen tested. When it came to the draft, he was ignored for seven rounds. When the Raiders signed him as a free agent in May, he appeared to be a long shot to make the team.
But in late September, Kirkland was activated from the practice squad. Since then, the former all-Southeastern Conference third-team selection has been a key contributor, specifically filling in as an extra lineman in the absence of injured tight end Lee Smith.
In the victory over the Denver Broncos, Kirkland played 42 snaps as a blocking tight end and did an excellent job as the Raiders’ running game gashed the Broncos for 218 yards in a 30-20 victory.
At one point, Kirkland knocked Broncos Pro Bowler Von Miller on his back.
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“I looked forward to doing that,” Kirkland told Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. “I know Von Miller is a great player and I respect him. But I knew that was going to be a big game for me and I stepped up to the plate.”
Head coach Jack Del Rio says the opportunity to use Kirkland as a blocking tight end “makes us physical.”
Kirkland said he’s just grateful for the opportunity to prove himself with the Raiders. He said starting left tackle Donald Penn, who also entered the league as an undrafted player, has been especially encouraging to him.
“He said he was in the same shoes, and that once he got pulled up on the roster, he never went back down,” Kirkland told Jerry McDonald of the East Bay Times. “I kind of piggy-back off what he said and I try to apply it to every phase of my life.”
Kirkland and the 7-2 Raiders get their next opportunity Monday night against the Houston Texans in Mexico City.
