10 recent Raiders draft picks who got cut

The Raiders have been held back by their inability to draft consistently in recent years. Whether the player flames out in the NFL entirely or the team fails to develop him, too many roster spots have been allocated for players who never fit the mold of what the Raiders needed them to be.

By that same token, some players have stuck around on the team far too long at times because the franchise invested a draft pick in them. For example, Clelin Ferrell hung around on the roster longer than he should have for the simple reason that he was the fourth overall pick.

While the Raiders have drafted some excellent players over the years, not all of them panned out while they were in the Silver and Black. Some found success elsewhere and maximized their abilities with a change of scenery, but these 10 players have yet to gain any traction in making NFL rosters.

Jonathan Abram, 2019, 1st Round

Abram was a hard-hitting safety who never covered as well as he hit. He was a bit of a loose cannon for the Silver and Black and despite landing on a few active rosters over the past few years, he was released by the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday and re-signed to their practice squad.

Tanner Muse, 2020, 3rd Round

Muse was Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock’s “steal of the draft” in 2020, but the special teams war-daddy never played a game for the Raiders. He was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars this week but re-signed to their practice squad.

Alex Leatherwood, 2021, 1st Round

Leatherwood was a bad pick at the time, and with each day that passes, the pick looks worse and worse. After a few short stints with the Bears and Browns, Leatherwood failed to make the 53-man roster for the Los Angeles Chargers and was waived on Tuesday. He returned to their practice squad, which is not where first-rounders typically belong.

Tyree Gillespie, 2021, 4th Round

Gillespie has bounced around the league quite a bit after only lasting a single season with the Raiders. Most recently he spent the offseason and preseason with a divisional foe, the Kansas City Chiefs, but was waived on Tuesday with an injury designation, so he could return to their IR, but will not be on an active roster this season.

Jimmy Morrissey, 2021, 7th Round

Nobody expects seventh-rounders to be game-changers, but Morrissey did not last the preseason with Las Vegas in 2021. After a three-year stint with the Houston Texans, he joined the New York Giants this offseason but was waived earlier this week. He will be a member of their practice squad for the 2024 campaign. 

Neil Farrell, 2022, 4th Round

Farrell spent a year with the Silver and Black before being traded to the Chiefs. He spent last season in Kansas City, and actually played well in the Super Bowl win against the San Francisco 49ers, but it was not enough to make the initial 53-man roster for this year. Instead, he will start the season on the practice squad for the Chiefs. 

Matthew Butler, 2022, 5th Round

Butler not making the opening day roster for the Raiders this season came as a bit of a shock because he ended up putting together a solid preseason. However, the team opted to go with a waiver wire signing to fill his position. They did bring him back on the practice squad, so not all hope is lost for Butler.

Brittain Brown, 2022, 7th Round

Brown dealt with injuries during his short tenure with the Raiders, and even when he was healthy, he failed to distinguish himself from the crew of backup running backs. He was waived on Tuesday by Las Vegas but not brought back to the practice squad, and he is still unsigned.

Byron Young, 2023, 3rd Round

Young is yet another Dave Ziegler-era defensive tackle who has yet to pan out in the NFL – for the Raiders or otherwise. After his performance in the preseason this year, making the initial 53-man roster was too good to be true. The team claimed a defensive tackle on the waiver wire to replace him and released him in a corresponding move. He was claimed by the Philadelphia Eagles off waivers and will join their active roster. 

MJ Devonshire, 2024, 7th Round

Devonshire was released on Wednesday following the waiver wire additions by the Las Vegas Raiders. The team needed more depth at corner, and he was not fitting the bill, so they waived him to make room for a veteran. Luckily, he is back on the practice squad and can take a redshirt season.