Ateman’s dream comes true
The Oakland Raiders promoted former Oklahoma State receiver Marcell Ateman from the practice squad last week.
Former Oklahoma State standout Marcell Ateman’s lifelong dream came true last week.
The Oakland Raiders needed a receiver after trading Amari Cooper to the Dallas Cowboys, so they promoted Ateman from the practice squad on Oct. 23.
Ateman, a rookie, is thankful for the opportunity and hopes to show everyone he has a bright future in the NFL.
“It’s just a blessing,” Ateman said in a phone interview with The Oklahoman. “I’m definitely gonna take full advantage of it.”
Ateman said he was excited when Raiders coach Jon Gruden told him of the news, but also a little disappointed that Cooper was being traded because they became good friends in Oakland.
“From watching him at (Alabama) and watching his four years in the league, I just got a lot of respect for his game,” Ateman said of Cooper. “When I came here and got to meet him — great guy, tremendous player, tremendous person — so I got nothing but respect for Coop.”
Ateman's promotion was a special moment because he always dreamed of playing in the NFL. It was also gratifying because of all the challenges he faced before being promoted from the practice squad.
Ateman, who had 59 catches for 1,156 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior at OSU, was once projected to be a firstround draft pick.
After a disappointing performance at the NFL Combine where he clocked a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash, he was selected by the Raiders in the seventh round. Ateman arrived in Oakland with little hope of making the 53-man roster because of a crowded receiver group.
“I wasn’t sure what they were going to do with me,” he said.
Although it appeared unlikely he would make the team, Ateman showcased his talent and made a good impression on Gruden and the rest of the coaching staff.
“We had a personnel meeting the other night, and everybody’s talking about Ateman,” Gruden said to reporters during training camp. “We’re going to play the best guys, and right now he’s earning the right to get on the field.”
Ateman had a solid preseason in which he led the Raiders with 12 catches and was second on the team in receiving yards (139). He said that falling in the draft was a big reason he had a successful preseason because it motivated him to prove everyone wrong.
“It pushed me to have more of a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “I brought that to camp, I brought that to OTAs.”
After he was waived during final roster cuts on Sept. 1, the Raiders signed Ateman to the practice squad one day later.
“After they cut me, they were just like, ‘We really like you and we want you to stay and you got a great chance to be moved up,’” Ateman said. “I just believed in them and stuck with it.”
Ateman's patience and hard work paid off and he hopes this is just the beginning of a long and storied NFL career.