Las Vegas Raiders: 3 offseason moves that could backfire in 2021
Drafting Alex Leatherwood at No. 17
Holding the No. 17 overall pick, the Raiders saw the 2021 NFL Draft’s first round falling exactly the way they wanted it to. Needing an offensive tackle to replace Trent Brown, Las Vegas saw both Teven Jenkins and Christian Darrisaw still available, widely considered the No. 3 and 4 offensive tackles in this draft class.
However, instead of selecting either of the two, they picked Alabama tackle Alex Leatherwood, a prospect many felt could have been had in the second round. Mayock and Gruden loved Leatherwood and made him the selection, much to the shock of the experts on the telecast, as well as Raider Nation.
Las Vegas Raiders official schedule for the 2021 NFL season
The wait is over, as the schedules for the entire 2021 NFL season were announced on Wednesday, and here is the full slate for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Leatherwood played at the highest level in college and was a key for an Alabama team that dominated on the offensive side of the ball. HOpefully, he ends up being a better player than both Jenkins and Darrisaw, but if not, this could prove to be a huge miss for Mayock and Gruden, and possibly the last straw for the GM.