Raiders Roster Evaluation: Alex Leatherwood

The 2021 NFL Draft is now behind us, and that means teams across the NFL are in the process of piecing together their entire rosters.

The Las Vegas Raiders are likely no different before what could be a pivotal fourth season of the second Jon Gruden era.

That's why we'll be going over roster evaluations for the Raiders players and position groups to see how everyone's stock measures up heading into the summer.

It wasn't surprising that the Raiders picked an offensive lineman with their first-round pick in this year's draft.

What was surprising to some was the lineman who the Raiders ended up taking with the 17th overall pick.

That lineman would be Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood, who was ranked heading into the draft as below the top tackle prospects. But the rankings of the pundits don't matter.

In terms of what Leatherwood brings to the gridiron, he has accumulated a ton of reps on a great Alabama offense.

Initially starting at right guard for the Crimson Tide in 2018, Leatherwood transitioned back to his natural position of left tackle the last two seasons.

He would earn back-to-back First-Team All-SEC honors in 2019 and 2020 as well.

Leatherwood brings prototypical size and length at 6-6 and 312 pounds, and has the strength to lock out defensive linemen once he gets his hands on them.

He can have trouble with speed rushers, and that showed up in the Senior Bowl, where Leatherwood only won 50 percent of his one-on-one matchups.

That's the reason Leatherwood was ranked below the perceived top tier of tackles in the draft.

The Raiders obviously thought differently, seeing a lineman with strong measurables and the versatility to have played guard and tackle. For Mike Mayock and the Las Vegas Raiders, a plethora of film against top SEC opponents spoke louder than the Senior Bowl.

According to Mayock, he'll enter the season as the starter at right tackle, having the opportunity right away to prove the Raiders right in taking him.

Tell us what you think in the comment section below and please make sure you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want the latest breaking Las Vegas Raiders news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Raiders Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE FOLLOW button on the main page. Don't miss any of the latest up to the second updates for your Las Vegas Raiders when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter, @HikaruKud1, @BaydounDarin