2021
Alex Leatherwood (1st/17th Overall)
This pick just did not pan out in any way, shape, or form. Leatherwood was drafted to be a tackle but struggled so much that he was moved inside to guard. He was subsequently waived before his second season, and the Chicago Bears claimed him but released him after only playing in four games. He did not appear on the field last season but recently signed with the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the upcoming season.
Tre’von Moehrig (2nd/43rd Overall)
I was hoping that the Raiders selected Moehrig at 17 and was absolutely baffled when we were able to get him at 43. This turned out to be a great pick. Moehrig has not been selected to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team, but he is considered to be a very good safety in the league. He has only missed two games due to injury thus far in his career and this past season, he collected three interceptions, eight pass deflections, two sacks and 83 tackles. Moehrig will start again this season.
Malcolm Koonce (3rd/79th Overall)
Koonce took a while to earn the trust of each coaching staff, but he finally made his way onto the field this year and exploded when Antonio Pierce took over. All 8.0 of his sacks took place after AP was named the interim, and he recorded 6.0 sacks in the final four games. Koonce will be the starter beside Crosby this year and will contribute to what could be the league’s best defensive line.
Divine Deablo (3rd/80th Overall)
After a slow start to his career, Deablo has been a starting linebacker the last two seasons. He is not a guy who is going to make a big play, and he has struggled at times, but he is a solid and average starter which is a good get in the third round. He will start again this year.
Tyree Gillespie (4th/143rd Overall)
Gillespie never found a role in the Silver and Black and was traded after a handful of special teams appearances during his rookie year. He played in three games for the Jaguars in 2022 but has not seen an NFL field since. He was last signed to a practice squad contract with the Chiefs but was waived last month.
Nate Hobbs (5th/167th Overall)
As far as value, this is the best pick of the draft class. Hobbs is a high-end starter and can slide between the slot and outside corner. Though his stats are not eye-popping, he is as solid as they come, and the secondary will rely heavily on him to produce again this year.
Jimmy Morrissey (7th/230th Overall)
Morrissey never played in a game for the Raiders, in fact, he was waived before his first season even began. He was signed from the team’s practice squad to the Texans and appeared in 14 games over three seasons but was waived once again. He is currently on a reserve/future contract with the Giants.
Takeaways: This is a very solid draft actually. There are no real “stars”, but four solid starters emerged from the middle rounds, which is something to be very excited about. For that reason, this draft gets a B+. If a better choice had been made in the first round or one of these players had blossomed into an All-Pro or Pro Bowler, perhaps this group could receive an A. There is still time for this class to bolster or hurt its ranking, as the four players are each still slated to start this season for the Raiders.