Raiders' Top Players to Watch in 2022 Hall of Fame Game

The 2022 NFL preseason is just a day away from kicking off, with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio.

The annual exhibition game might not be the pinnacle of professional football, but it does offer the new Raiders coaching staff an extra opportunity to assess their younger players against live competition.

Plus, it's a fitting start to the Josh McDaniels era that he'll coach his first game with the team at his high school stadium. The 46-year-old played quarterback for Canton McKinley High School, which plays its home games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

We probably won't see the likes of Davante Adams or Derek Carr on Thursday, but we will be able to watch a few Raiders players who are going to be battling for roles throughout the preseason.

Here are three who are especially intriguing.

There's a chance Zamir White has a large role ahead of him over the next few years for the Raiders.

The front office had limited draft capital in this year's event and still used a fourth-round selection on the running back out of Georgia.

It's significant given the long-term outlook at the position. Josh Jacobs' fifth-year option was declined and Kenyan Drake has just one season left on his current contract.

White was held out of the first two days of training camp but has since returned and looked the part. Vic Tafur of The Athletic noted that he has looked good and running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu has noticed.

“He’s tough, has good contact balance, and you can see the growth in a new system,” the coach said.

Drake and Jacobs aren't likely to get much work in the first preseason game, which could pave the way for the 22-year-old to get a chance to show what he can do.

We might not see a lot (if any) of Davante Adams, Darren Waller or Hunter Renfrow on Thursday. They are all established veterans whose roles in the offense are locked in.

After that, though, the competition gets interesting. The Raiders receiver room looks a lot different than it did last season and that includes the additions of Demarcus Robinson, Keelan Cole and Mack Hollins.

Thus far, Hollins has been the surprise standout in training camp.

James Palmer of NFL Network noted that the 28-year-old is a name that continually came up from teammates from camp. The analyst noted an especially impressive catch the former Miami Dolphins player made during a red-zone period.

The North Carolina product hasn't done much as a receiver in the NFL. He's mostly been relegated to special teams duty in his first four seasons.

If Hollins can show off a bit of his progress in the Hall of Fame game, it will continue his momentum toward having a real role in the offense.

Teams are required to submit a depth chart before preseason games. The Raiders' list doesn't have too many surprises, but the inclusion of Gerri Green as a second-string defensive end is intriguing.

Kyler Fackrell has been placed on the injured reserve, and Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported Chandler Jones has missed practices with injury and Clelin Ferrell has also been injured.

That leaves the opportunity for someone to step in and earn a role as a pass-rusher. It's fitting because it's a need that could actually arise during the season. The Raiders have a strong pair of quarterback-hunters in Maxx Crosby and Jones, but depth behind them will be important.

Green is an interesting name because he hasn't logged an NFL snap since he was picked in the sixth round of the 2019 draft.

However, the 26-year-old has obviously done enough for the coaching staff to feel comfortable penciling him in on the second unit.

If Green can make some noise, he could find himself auditioning to be part of the actual rotation.