Wooden, a former Telesco assistant, is joining the Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed the former assistant to new general manager Tom Telesco and are still filling roles in their coaching staff and front office.
One of Tom Telesco’s top aides from the Los Angeles Chargers has been appointed by the new general manager.
The Raiders have reportedly hired JoJo Wooden, the former director of player personnel for the Chargers, according to Ian Rapoport, an insider for NFL Network and NFL.com.
Although Wooden’s new title is still pending, Rapoport claims that Wooden will be holding a senior executive post.
Prior to joining the NFL, Wooden was a football player at Syracuse, where he started over half of his 46 appearances.
Following his graduation from Syracuse, Wooden started working as a pro personnel assistant in the NFL.
Wooden handled Los Angeles’ collegiate and professional scouting departments while he was a Charger. After the Chargers and Telesco parted ways, he joined the team for almost ten years and was named general manager in an acting capacity.
Wooden has a wealth of knowledge about the National Football League and its surroundings. Wooden started his professional career with the New York Jets in 1997 and played for them for ten years before joining the Chargers.
He began his career in New York as an assistant in pro personnel and worked his way up to assistant director of player personnel.
Wooden’s presence in Las Vegas, coupled with his more than two decades of NFL front-office knowledge, should facilitate Telesco’s move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Telesco may have hired Wooden in anticipation of Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly leaving the team soon, perhaps even as early as the upcoming season.
Kelly will surely be considered for general manager jobs in the NFL.
During his whole career as general manager of the Chargers, Wooden was affiliated with Telesco. Even if it’s unclear exactly what Wooden’s formal title or function will be, Telesco should feel more at ease going forward because of their acquaintance with one another.
