Las Vegas Raiders quick reaction NFL Grades 2021: Alex Leatherwood

The Las Vegas Raiders solidified their offensive line by selecting Alex Leatherwood from Alabama 17th overall. Here is our quick draft grade.

The Las Vegas Raiders went offense with their first pick of the 2021 NFL Draft by selecting Alex Leatherwood from the University of Alabama. Leatherwood is a versatile offensive lineman who can play either tackle or guard and has plenty of experience at both positions. He started 15 games at right guard in 2018 and was named Second Team All-SEC then moved to LT in 2019 and was First-Team All-SEC.

His best season was 2020 where he started 13 games for the Crimson Tide at LT and won just about all of the awards an offensive lineman can get. Leatherwood was First Team All-SEC once again, was a Unanimous First Team All-American, won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for top blocker in the SEC, and won the Outland Trophy which goes to the best lineman in college football.

Leatherwood has the size to play in the NFL at 6-4, 312lbs and showed good athleticism with a 4.99 40 and a 34.5″ vertical jump. He has the coordination to play RT at the NFL level and the strength and speed to play guard as well.

This is not a sexy pick by any means but games and titles are won in the trenches and the Raiders got a great player out of Alabama with this pick.