Raiders rookie discusses love of crab cakes, roller coasters in Q&A

DJ Glaze likes roller coasters and hot weather.

He’s also a rookie offensive tackle for the Raiders, who picked him in the third round in April’s draft out of the University of Maryland.

The Review-Journal sat down with Glaze this week to learn a little more about him:

RJ: What is it like going against Maxx Crosby every day in practice?

Glaze: “I feel like it’s amazing. It’s great to be able to go against a guy like that — one of, if not the best defensive player in the league. To go against him every day is only going to help me get better. I love going against him. I love the challenge. Hopefully, we both get better from it.”

RJ: Best thing about the University of Maryland?

Glaze: “Crab cakes and football.”

RJ: What has been the toughest part of the transition to the NFL for you?

Glaze: “I would say the speed. It’s a lot faster than college. Everyone is on top of you with their speed. Guys know how to time up snap counts and get off the ball really well, so you have to make sure you’re not late. The one play you’re late is the play you get beat.”

RJ: What are some of your hobbies outside of football?

Glaze: “I’m a big gamer. I like playing Madden and (NBA) 2K and all of that. I started watching anime about two weeks ago. I like it. It’s interesting. I’ll probably start watching it more often.”

RJ: What was it like playing at Maryland with Taulia Tagovailoa, Tua’s younger brother?

Glaze: “Oh, it was fun. I think he wanted to be known as Taulia instead of Tua’s brother. He could really create. If a play broke down, he would see it happen and really create something and move. It was really helpful for us — if something went bad, he would get us out of it and make a play.”

RJ: Favorite part about growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina?

Glaze: “We had this amusement park called Carowinds that I used to go to. It was really fun. They had a ride called ‘The Intimidator,’ like a steep roller coaster with a big drop. That was pretty fun.”

RJ: Did you have something to prove when choosing Maryland given you were under-recruited and not offered a scholarship by many big schools?

Glaze: “You always know you can play and compete. All you need is one opportunity, and luckily Maryland gave it to me. Just want to go out and dominate and show people what they missed out on. That was mostly for myself. Just continue to develop. That chip on my shoulder comes from the fact that not a lot of people wanted me, but Maryland gave me the chance.”

RJ: You played both tackle positions in college. How has that versatility helped you in the NFL so far?

Glaze: “I think it’s very helpful to be able to slide from one position to the next. It brings value. If a guy can play multiple positions, I feel like sooner or later he will find his way onto the field.”

RJ: You were drafted as Delmar Glaze. You want to be known as DJ. Why?

Glaze: “I’m a junior, so me and my dad have the same name. So you know, a lot of times when people say ‘Delmar’ and we’re together, we both look. So DJ is a different way to decipher it.”

RJ: What do you like most about Las Vegas?

Glaze: “I honestly like the weather. I don’t like being in the cold. I’d rather be in the heat and then go in the house and turn on the fans if I want. I also like going to shows down on The Strip. I went to (David) Copperfield and Jabbawockeez. Just a lot of stuff to do.”

RJ: What does playing for the Raiders mean to you?

Glaze: “It means everything. They gave me the chance, and I want to go out there and prove they made the right decision and picked the right guy. I work every day to get better and go out there and play for this organization.”

Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.