The Raiders declined a trade-down offer in the NFL Draft to avoid losing Alex Leatherwood

No team has been criticized more for the 2021 NFL Draft Hall than the Raiders. And none of the Raiders’ picks were scrutinized more than their top overall pick: Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood at No. 17.

Most mock drafts, including Sporting News’, consider Leatherwood a Day 2 selection. He was taken in the first round by Raiders GM Mike Maycock and coach John Gruden, which was considered a big reach, especially when most people thought he would be available in the second. That they took him to multiple, more highly rated tackles – SN rated the six available tackles high, including four with first-round grades – only added to the pick’s contention.

But Maycock defended the choice, saying he, Gruden, offensive line coach Tom Cable and the Raiders are all highly valued Leatherwood scouts. Las Vegas was so impressed with the big-name tackle that he even turned down an offer to trade him in the 2021 NFL Draft to risk losing him.

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“Just when we got on the clock, a team called us and inquired about going up, but they gave us a very bad trade offer and it was a team that needed a tackle,” said Maycock (Via ESPN

) Belongs to. “So the combination of the poor offering and their need pushed us away from it.

“There’s a risk / reward scenario there and, in this case, we didn’t feel it was worth it.”

In the end, the Vikings were the only other team to draft Tackle in the first round, picking Virginia Tech with the 23rd overall pick to tackle Christian Darrisaw. Only two more offensive strikes went through the rounds before the Raiders drew again at 43: 39 from Oklahoma State’s Taven Jenkens at Chicago, and Notre Dame’s Liam Eichenberg from Miami at 42.

This is not the first time Maycock’s draft options have been investigated. His previous drafts include the number of players from big-name schools, especially in the early stages. These include Clemson’s Clenel Farrell, Alabama’s Josh Jacobs and Henry Ruggs III, Ohio State’s Damon Ernett, and more.

That said, it is a virtual certainty that the drafts of NFL teams are not the same as the mock drafts of board outlets. And if the Raiders saw something they like in Leatherwood – enough to warrant their first-round warrant – then it is their prerogative.

Only time will tell whether he deserved a high selection.

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