Preseason player to watch: RB Dylan Laube showing ‘special’ signs in Las Vegas

Rookie running back looks to continue on training-camp success with today’s game at Vikings

The Raiders’ rookie class not only had to deliver on the practice field over the last two and a half weeks in Costa Mesa, Calif., but also entertain in the meeting room.

It’s standard NFL procedure for new, young players to serenade their teammates with a song of their choice during training camp and, by all accounts, this year’s run of de facto talent shows was rough.

Team captain/All-Pro punter AJ Cole graded the set of rookie singing performances as, “absolutely pitiful,” with one slight exception. Running back Dylan Laube, a sixth-round pick out of the University of New Hampshire, managed a decent rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.”

He had the most commanding presence,” Cole joked of Laube.

So, in other words, the 24-year-old from Westhampton, N.Y., wasn’t all that different on the stage than he’s been on the practice field.

Laube turned as many heads as anyone on the roster during the team’s tenure at the Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex. The next step for the 5-foot-10, 208-pound playmaker is to carry the momentum into the preseason.

The Raiders’ exhibition schedule begins at 1 p.m. today with a road game at the Minnesota Vikings airing on Fox 5.

Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce has said almost everyone on the roster will play. But the established starters and veterans are unlikely to see extended time, especially at running back where the Raiders have an experienced trio of Zamir White, Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah.

Laube therefore could be in line for the biggest workload in what’s expected to be a run-heavy attack in the first year under new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with Dylan,” Raiders running backs coach Carnell “Cadillac” Williams said. “First of all, the young man’s mindset separates him from a lot of people. I can remember many moons ago, 2005, being a rookie and, to me, honestly, I just think his mindset, he’s better prepared than I was — a very cerebral, smart guy who can do a lot of things in the pass game, the run game.”

That’s no small praise considering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Williams No. 5 overall back then after he emerged as one of the best college players in the country at Auburn.

Laube, by contrast, was a virtual unknown who slipped to the third day of the draft after playing on the Football Championship Series level in college. New Hampshire gave Laube his only scholarship offer after a heralded high school career, but he said being overlooked has benefitted his ascent into the NFL.

“I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder in a sense,” Laube said. “Coming from a small school, it’s been super important for me to have that toughness and I think I’ve shown it so far.”

Unlike most of his teammates, Laube appears to never get a break during practice. He’s been a lot like rookie classmate Brock Bowers — who sang Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” for his performance — in that he’s been tasked with doing a little bit of everything.

He’s split out to take snaps at wide receiver in addition to his running back duties, served as a constant on special teams and been part of the kick/punt returning rotation. Laube has impressed many along the way with several teammates mentioning him as a training-camp standout including even those whose snap counts he’s threatening to cut into during the regular season.

“He’s bringing a spark every time he gets the ball,” the tenth-year veteran Abdullah said of Laube. “He’s a very special guy.”

Abdullah has served as the Raiders’ third-down back for each of the last two seasons, and that’s where Laube might be most positioned to make an offensive impact this year.

Both Raiders’ starting quarterback candidates Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew — who are each expected to play a quarter at Minnesota as part of their ongoing competition — have found Laube frequently in the passing game. Laube called running routes out of the backfield, “his best quality,” and credited help from Abdullah in developing the ability further over the summer.

“I think I’m more of a receiving back,” Laube said. “I can still run the ball but, in a sense, me getting a matchup with a (linebacker) is super important. I think I can win every time.”

A sixth-round pick might often be fighting to make the roster at this point, but Laube’s spot looks secure.

The Raiders might have initially thought he would be more of a developmental piece but they’ve found he’s closer to a ready contributor than his draft stock implied.

“Sometimes you watch his film in college and say, ‘Well, the guy played at New Hampshire. Can he do that in the NFL?’” Pierce said. “And you come out here and it’s like, ‘Wow, (during 9-on-7 drills), he pops.’”

Maybe then “Livin’ on a Prayer” was not the best choice to illustrate Laube’s NFL experience thus far. There were few if any “down-on-his-luck” moments in Costa Mesa.

Laube has taken to professional football immediately with a highly successful start. He’s halfway there in preparations for his rookie season, needing to supplement the promise he’s shown so far with a strong preseason and more locked-in practices with the team settling back into their Henderson headquarters.

“You don’t know what to truly expect and that first day of camp was kind of my first step of, ‘OK, I truly belong here,’” Laube said. “It’s been all business since.”