Just Blog Baby
FanSided

Raiders: What to expect in Year 2 for the 2021 NFL Draft picks

By Brad Weiss

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 13: Alex Leatherwood #70 of the Las Vegas Raiders exits the fields after warming up ahead of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 13: Alex Leatherwood #70 of the Las Vegas Raiders exits the fields after warming up ahead of the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Allegiant Stadium on September 13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 09: Cornerback Nate Hobbs #39 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on January 9, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 09: Cornerback Nate Hobbs #39 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium on January 9, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 in overtime. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Raiders: What to expect in Year 2 for the 2021 NFL Draft picks

Nate Hobbs

The steal of the draft for the Las Vegas Raiders was Nate Hobbs, a fifth-round pick from Illinois who stepped in as a starting slot cornerback as a rookie. Hobbs was not expected to contribute the way he did as a rookie, but it was clear from the get-go that he was the perfect slot cornerback in Gus Bradley’s system.

Now, he enters Year 2 of his NFL career, and the hope is that he can continue to progress with a new defensive coordinator at the helm. Patrick Graham is going to love what he gets from Hobbs, who plays the game with a chip on his shoulder after being drafted so late, and one who could end up being a Pro Bowl player this season.

The defense for the Raiders should be much improved under Graham, and players like Hobbs will have to play at a very high level with so many excellent quarterbacks in the AFC West. If Hobbs can prove that his rookie season was not a fluke, then the Raiders are set at the slot cornerback position for years to come.

Projection: Starting Slot Cornerback

Home/Las Vegas Raiders Draft