A Healthy Divine Deablo is Crucial for Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders revamped their defense through free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft, adding several players who will have a chance to earn a starting job.
One player who was a starter before he was injured last season is linebacker Divine Deablo, who sustained an arm injury and missed nine games, but he was an impactful defender before that. Deablo recorded 74 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a pass break up in eight starts.
The Raiders signed free agent Robert Spillane from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, they didn’t address the linebacker position through the draft until the sixth round, when they took Florida’s Amari Burney, so Deablo should have a good chance to go into camp as a starter.
The Raiders drafted Deablo in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech, and he had a good rookie season as a rotational player with 45 tackles and a tackle for a loss.
Deablo was productive before his injury, and he is a great athlete, as his speed and coverage skills are coveted at the linebacker position, as many teams in the NFL shift to pass-heavy offensive game plans. Teams need as many players as possible to be able to cover downfield, and Deablo offers that for the Raiders.
If the Raiders can get Divine Deablo healthy again, he will add a dynamic element to their defense, especially in the passing game. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham can use him in several ways that they will need as they face the dynamic passing attacks in the AFC West.
Here is a complete list of every pick and links to more information about them:
Round 1 No. 7 overall pick: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech
Round 2 No. 35 overall pick: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame
Round 3 No. 70 overall: Byron Young, DT, Alabama
Round 3 No. 100 overall: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
Round 4 No. 104 overall: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland
Round 4 No. 135 overall: Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue
Round 5 No. 170 overall: Christopher Smith II, S, Georgia
Round 6 No. 203 overall: Amari Burney, LB, Florida
Round 7 No. 231 overall: Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State
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