2021 NFL Draft: Grading every first-round pick after rookie year

Grading every rookie from the 2021 NFL Draft: Alex Leatherwood, OT, Las Vegas Raiders

2021 Stats: 

• 17 Games Started

There are three things we could count on in life — death, taxes, and the Las Vegas Raiders selecting either an Alabama or Clemson player in the first round of the NFL Draft during the Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden era.

We’re down to two absolutes now, however, since Gruden left in shame during the 2021 season and Mayock later joined him. But while those two were running things, the Raiders were looking at those two clubs more than any other.

There’s some solid logic behind that as both clubs have turned out some excellent pros, especially Alabama. But there’s a point when a team needs to have some self-control and realized there are other programs to draft from when your pipeline schools don’t have the right fit for where you’re drafting.

That’s what happened in 2021 when Las Vegas took Alex Leatherwood at No. 17 from Alabama. Many had Leatherwood projected as a day two pick but the Raiders saw fit to take him in the top-20. As expected, this proved to be one of the biggest reaches in this class as Leatherwood struggled mightily in pass protection all season.

If there was a saving grace, it would be that he could hold his own in the running game and looked better at guard than he did on the edge. Even so, he’s still got a long way to go to prove theMayock/Gruden team did the right thing here.

Grade: D