Former Ohio State wide receiver Jalin Marshall signed with Oakland, as announced on Twitter by his agent on May 7.
Marshall last played in the NFL for the Jets in 2017, but was cut following that season.
The Middletown, Ohio, native most recently played for the Orlando Apollos of the AAF before the league disbanded. He was the first player who scored a touchdown in the brief history of the Alliance of American Football.
Initially undrafted out of Ohio State in 2016, Marshall appeared in 10 games with the Jets during his rookie season, where he hauled in 14 receptions for 162 yards and two touchdowns.
An elusive returner, he also returned 18 punts for 100 yards (5.6 yards per return) and 13 kickoffs for 324 yards (24.9 YPR), but was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy and spent the remainder of the season on the practice squad.
Marshall recorded 26 catches for 364 yards and three touchdowns with Orlando in the AAF. He also threw a touchdown for the Apollos.
Prior to his pro career, Marshall proved to be a versatile threat for the Buckeyes. He caught 38 passes for 499 yards and six touchdowns and added 25 carries for 145 yards and one rushing touchdown as a redshirt freshman for the FBS-champion Scarlet and Gray in 2014. As a redshirt sophomore, he posted 36 receptions for 477 yards and five touchdowns with two carries for 30 yards.
Marshall’s best shot of making the Raiders might be as a punt returner, where he excelled as a Buckeye. In his two seasons for Ohio State, Marshall returned 52 punts for 662 yards and one touchdown. His career average of 12.7 yards per return ranks No. 6 in Big Ten history (min. of 50 returns since 1976).
His arrival gives Oakland 12 wide receivers on its 90-man roster. Acquiring All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown via trade, signing free agents Tyrell Williams, Ryan Grant and J.J. Nelson and drafting former Clemson wideout Hunter Renfrow, gives the Raiders a rebooted and crowded receiving corp.
Competition will be stiff as Oakland looks to trim down to a 53-man unit in the fall, but Marshall’s effectiveness as a returner could give him a chance to make the team.
