A look back at the 2021 NFL Draft for the Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders never cease to create excitement in the NFL Draft. Here’s how their draft class looks after reviewing it a year later.

While the Raiders were able to make it to the post-season this year their draft last year was nothing to write home about. Once again we saw the Raiders reach for players, or pick players that were an odd fit.

Most of which I assume comes from the fact Davis, Mayock, and Gruden all wanted to be the one guy making the call, and no one ever listened to the scouts and other coaches. However, it may not all be doom and gloom for the 2021 NFL Draft class.

So let’s take a look back at the 2021 NFL Draft.

Raiders Draft class:

Pick 17- Alex Leatherwood, OL Alabama

Leather Played in all 17 games and started in everyone. However, he was not very good at all. Being one of the more penalized OTs in the entire league, and was a massive liability in the pass-blocking game. He was third in penalties with 14, second in sacks allowed with eight, and had a PFF rating of just 45.

Pick 43- Tre`von Moehrig, S TCU

Moehrig started and played in all 17 games this season. He came away with one pick, six pass breakups, and 55 total tackles.

Pick 79- Malcolm Koonce, DE Buffalo

Koonce played in five games and started in none. However, he did make the best of it with two sacks, and three total tackles.

Pick 80- Divine Deablo, DB Virginia Tech

Deablo played in all 17 games and started in five of them. While he did not bring down an interception, he had one pass break up, one fumble recovery, 45 total tackles, and one tackle for loss.

Pick 143- Tyree Gillespie, S Missouri

Tyree got in 11 games and started none notching eight total tackles.

Pick 167- Nate Hobbs, CB Illinois

Before his off-field issues, Hobbs was having a decent year. Playing in 16 games and starting in nine. He had three pass breakups, one forced fumble, one sack, 74 total tackles, four QB hits, and one tackle for loss. That’s a ton of production from someone picked at 167th in the NFL draft.

Pick 230- Jimmy Morrissey, C Pitt- Cut from the team

They threw everything they had at the defensive secondary and were right about half of the time. Gillespie does not look to be a long-term piece and Hobbs has off-field concerns. But, Deablo and Moherig look to be key pieces on this team moving forward. Koonce also will carve out a decent role, though it seems well below where he was picked at.

The silver and black did it again though blowing it on their first overall pick. As Leatherwood does not resemble the first-rounder he was picked as he barely looks like he belongs in the NFL. Being one the most penalized and allowing eight sacks. That’s a sack every other game, he gets blown off the line or looks like he has feet of concrete.  If it was not for Moherig and Deablo this may have been one of the worst drafts on record for the silver and black.

Looking back at this class is a little painful but on the plus side, There is a new GM and head coach to turn this team around. Maybe they can have better luck in the draft. Possibly even maybe get it right with a first-round WR?

As for the 2021 draft grade when it originally came out, most people had it around a C- which I think is fair, but anything above a D- right now is just being generous. I would not be surprised if out of all of these picks by 2024 only Deablo and Moherig remain.