Raiders still determining where Alex Leatherwood…
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The Raiders drafted Alex Leatherwood with the 17th overall choice in 2021. His selection was considered a reach by many at the time, and Leatherwood’s play as a rookie did nothing but reinforce that thought.
Leatherwood committed the fourth-most penalties in NFL with 11 total, including seven false starts, and he allowed 3.5 sacks, according to STATS, Inc.
“There’s good and there’s bad,” Raiders new head coach Josh McDaniels said of Leatherwood’s film, via Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “But when you’re that young, you look at it as what can we work with, what can we fix? There’s a lot to do in that process. I’ve already spoken to him. That process is under way.”
Leatherwood started four games at right tackle before his struggles prompted them to move him to right guard and play Brandon Parker at right tackle. The Raiders still are trying to figure out where Leatherwood’s future lies.
“We’re not going to pigeonhole him by saying he’s this or he’s that,” Raiders General Manager Dave Ziegler said. “We’re going to let him create an opportunity for himself. We’ll be excited to be able to work with him.”
In the past four drafts, the Raiders have used two first-round choices (Kolton Miller and Leatherwood) and a third-rounder (Parker) on offensive tackles. Yet, they are left wanting in the offensive line as they evaluate prospects to draft in 2022.
