Las Vegas Raiders’ 2021 draft class, where are Alex Leatherwood and Co. now?
· Yahoo Sports
Previously, Silver and Black Pride dove into the Las Vegas Raiders’ first NFL draft class in Las Vegas. Here, we’re taking a look at what ended up being Jon Gruden’s and Mike Mayock’s final draft with the Raiders, the 2021 class. Let’s just say this one falls in line with the other hauls Gruden and Mayock brought in…
Round 1, Pick 17: OL Alex LeatherwoodRaiders Stats: 17 games, 17 starts (1 season)
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Post-Raiders Stats: 4 games, 0 starts (1 season)
Current Team: N/A
Gruden and Mayock were known for their first-round reaches, with Leatherwood being one of the biggest they made. After starting the first four games of his rookie season at right tackle, the Alabama product struggled mightily in pass protection and had to be switched to guard, which felt like a desperation move to keep the first-round pick on the field. When Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler took over the following season, Leatherwood didn’t even make the team at the end of training camp. The Chicago Bears claimed him, but he only played 32 offensive snaps in Chicago before getting cut ahead of the 2023 campaign, and then spending some time with the Cleveland Browns’ and Los Angeles Chargers’ practice squads.
Round 2, Pick 43: S Tre’von MoehrigRaiders Stats: 66 games, 297 tackles, 8 TFLs, 6 INTs, 29 PDs (4 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: 16 games, 103 tackles, 14 TFLs, 1 INT, 2 PDs (1 season)
Current Team: Carolina Panthers
Moehrig was one of the few picks that Gruden and Mayock hit on. The safety was a four-year starter for the Silver and Black, showing off some versatility by lining up at free safety to begin his career and then playing in the box more recently. He got better and more productive every year before landing a three-year, $51 million contract with the Panthers during free agency last summer. The TCU product hasn’t received any postseason recognition yet, but Pro Bowls and/or All-Pros should be in his future if he keeps producing as he has lately. Moehrig’s 14 TFLs were the most of any safety and second-most of any off-ball defender last season.
Round 3, Pick 79: Edge Malcolm KoonceRaiders Stats: 56 games, 85 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 17 TFLs, 4 FFs (4 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: N/A
Current Team: Raiders
Technically, Koonce is the first player in franchise history to be drafted and sign two contract extensions in Las Vegas. Granted, that’s because he’s received one-year, “prove-it” deals during the last two offseasons after missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL. The pass-rusher is looking to recapture the magic he had during the second half of the 2023 campaign, where he recorded eight sacks in nine games.
Round 3, Pick 80: LB Divine DeabloRaiders Stats: 54 games, 288 tackles, 10 TFLs, 10 sacks, 6 PDs (4 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: 13 games, 73 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1 sack, 7 PDs (1 season)
Current Team: Atlanta Falcons
No one was shedding any tears over Deablo leaving Las Vegas last offseason. He struggled to successfully transition from college safety to NFL linebacker and, despite being a starter, never really caught on with the Silver and Black. However, the former third-round pick had a fantastic first season in Atlanta, finishing 12th among linebackers with a 77.7 grade from Pro Football Focus. Deablo made a ton of strides in coverage, recording more PDs in one year with the Falcons than the four he spent with the Raiders. Now it’s just a matter of whether that was a fluke or a sign he’s turned the corner.
Round 4, Pick 143: S Tyree GillespieRaiders Stats: 11 games, 8 tackles (1 season)
Post-Raiders Stats: 3 games, 0 tackles (1 season)
Current Team: Orlando Pirates (IFL)
Another theme of Gruden’s and Mayock’s terrible drafts was taking players who never or barely saw the field, Gillespie being one of them. He was a special teamer as a rookie for the Raiders and was traded to the Tennessee Titans during training camp the following year. Las Vegas didn’t even get a pick for the Missouri product because it received a conditional seventh for him, and the Titans cut him two weeks after the deal. Since then, Gillespie spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars (where he played in the three games listed above), Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs and the UFL Michigan Panthers. However, even his UFL tenure was short-lived, playing in two games before signing up to play in the Indoor Football League this past March.
Round 5, Pick 167: CB Nate HobbsRaiders Stats: 51 games, 281 tackles, 14 TFLs, 3 INTs, 19 PDs, 3 FFs, 3 sacks (4 seasons)
Post-Raiders Stats: 11 games, 27 tackles, 2 TFLs, 0 INTs, 2 PDs, 0 FFs, 0 sacks (1 season)
Current Team: San Francisco 49ers
One positive from the Gruden-Mayock era was that the duo found a handful of late-round gems, Hobbs being one of them. The Illinois product ended up being a quality nickelback who could play the run and make impact tackles in coverage to prevent first downs. However, he’s struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, and that’s likely why the current regime chose to let him walk last spring. Hobbs had another injury-filled season with the Green Bay Packers last year. Also, the Packers tried to make him an outside corner–which the Raiders unsuccessfully attempted, too–but he isn’t built for that type of role and struggled. That led to Hobbs’ release in Green Bay, and he’ll be competing for a roster spot in San Francisco this summer.
Round 7, Pick 230: C Jimmy MorrisseyRaiders Stats: N/A
Post-Raiders Stats: 15 games, 4 starts (4 seasons)
Current Team: Indianapolis Colts
Morrissey never played a regular-season snap for the Raiders. He didn’t make the 53-man roster as a rookie and was on the practice squad for about half of the season before getting poached by the Houston Texans. The Pittsburgh product spent the next two and a half years in Houston, bouncing back and forth between the Texans’ practice squad and active roster as a backup. Morrissey spent 2024 on the New York Giants’ practice squad and 2025 on the Indianapolis Colts’, appearing in one game for the Colts last year. He’ll be battling for a roster spot in Indianapolis this summer.