NAPA, Calif. -- After being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round, Eddie Vanderdoes had a simple goal: Convert those in his hometown of Auburn, California (a town just outside of Sacramento) who were not already Raiders fans into card-carrying members of Raider Nation.

Vanderdoes' bigger goal, of course, was to dive into Oakland's playbook and show up at training camp both physically and mentally prepared, given he missed all of the team's offseason program because UCLA is on the quarter system.

Mission accomplished.

Within four training-camp practices, the defensive tackle was already occupying a spot on the starting defensive line. Vanderdoes supplanted fellow rookie Treyvon Hester, a seventh-rounder who had seemingly jumped ahead of second-year man Darius Latham.

"[Vanderdoes] and Treyvon Hester, two young tackles we drafted, we want them to come in and be big, strong, athletic guys up front that can push the pocket a little bit and help stop the run and give us some interior pass rush," Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said. "That's why they're here."

All in a day's work for Vanderdoes, right?

"He's a hell of a player," defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. said of Vanderdoes. "He's really strong, has good hands. He is going to make some noise this year."

A torn ACL suffered in 2015 and ankle- and bone-bruise injuries from a year ago are now things of the past, as is a weight issue that dogged Vanderdoes last fall and saw him get as heavy as 340 pounds.

Now, the 6-foot-3 Vanderdoes is closer to 300 pounds, making him more active and athletic.

"I'm in good shape and where I want to be," Vanderdoes said after the draft. "Now it's just learning the playbook, learning the technique and taking it to the next level."

Taking reps with the first unit would suggest he has already made up for what he missed in Oakland's offseason program.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah," said Raiders defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr., who shares a UCLA pedigree with Vanderdoes. "He has been a student of the game. I think he understands how to get lined up. He understands the blocking schemes. He understands how to get on edges. Things that we drafted him for, we're very happy with what we have. He has jumped right in, no problem."