Former Texas Longhorns DT Signs with Las Vegas Raiders

Only a day after being released by the Tennessee Titans as training camp got rolling, former Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Keondre Coburn was picked up off waivers by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Coburn, who was a sixth-round draft pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2023 NFL Draft and spent time on the Denver Broncos practice squad, now heads back to the AFC West after being in Nashville for the second half of the 2023 season and all of 2024.

Last year, Coburn tallied 14 total tackles in 15 games, which included a start in Week 4 against the Miami Dolphins. Over his professional career, he has 22 total tackles and a tackle for loss.

Opportunity with the Raiders

Coburn was signed by the Raiders just a day after Las Vegas parted with one of their previously highest-paid players.

On Thursday, the Raiders released star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, only a year into a four-year, $110 million deal.

Wilkins played in five games in 2024 before suffering a season-ending Jones fracture in his left foot. Las Vegas waived Wilkins because of his resistance to getting another surgery on his foot, the Raiders voiding his remaining guaranteed money due to "failure to maintain his physical condition to play," according to an ESPN article.

"With no clear path or plan for future return to play from Christian, this transaction is necessary for the entire organization to move forward and prepare for the new season," the Raiders wrote.

Head coach Pete Carroll added that the team "took a long time to make [its] decision."

With the departure of Wilkins comes an opening at the defensive tackle spot in the Raiders' depth chart, the addition of Coburn being Las Vegas's subsequent move at the position. Throughout training camp and the preseason, Coburn can be expected to contend for playing time in the middle of the defensive front ahead of his potential debut in the black and silver.

Keondre Coburn as a Longhorn

Coburn was a Texas Longhorn for five years, redshirting his freshman season in Austin before playing and starting double-digit games four straight years.

In his redshirt sophomore and junior seasons, Coburn was an All-Big 12 honorable mention before getting an All-Big 12 second team selection in his senior year.

The Houston native started 45 of 51 games wearing the burnt orange, accumulating 96 total tackles with 15 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Coburn was a four-star recruit in the 2018 class, ranked as the No. 11 defensive tackle by the 247Sports Composite. He received 30 offers over the span of his recruitment, ultimately committing to the Longhorns.