Aidan O'Connell Prepares For First Taste of NFL Play

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell will be getting some vital experience in these coming days.

It begins today with a joint practice against the San Francisco 49ers. That will be followed by one more on Friday before the teams face off for their first preseason game on Sunday.

While O'Connell has gone up against his teammates over the last few weeks, these competitions against San Francisco will be his first look into going live against an NFL opponent.

The following are all the things O'Connell said he will be looking to take away from the joint practices:

"Just obviously a new experience, so getting to see the first NFL training camp playing against another team," O'Connell told reporters on Wednesday. "I think just trying to soak it all in, trying to enjoy it and trying to challenge myself to, like I said, take mental reps. If I get reps out there, take reps and succeed. As I keep saying, learn from mistakes and so just try to grow as a player."

As far as the team's approach toward the joint practices and preseason game goes, O'Connell said the mindset does not change.

"I think it's just another opportunity for our team to work hard and play against somebody different, but I think for us it really remains the same," the quarterback said. "We've got to know our assignment, do our job and work hard to do that."

O'Connell was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round of this year's NFL Draft out of Purdue. He was with the Boilermakers for six seasons, yet did not see the field the first two.

He would finish his career as the program's all-time leader in completion percentage and passing efficiency.

O'Connell was an All-Big Ten selection in his final two seasons with the program, including an epic 2022 season in which he led the Boilermakers to the Big Ten championship game.

The Silver and Black open the preseason by hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

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