shopson67
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that was an odd one. The crowd at the draft got real quiet.
I guess if they felt o-line was a big need. But then, why not try to trade up to get Penei Sewell or Alijah Vera-Tucker? Or trade their first round pick for more picks and take the same guy (or similar) in the 2nd round?
Leatherwood pretty much has to become an All-Pro to justify the pick and it still doesn't really justify it because they'll be paying first round money to a 2nd round player.
There were a couple of other head scratchers, but that was the biggest.
He did win the Outland trophy this past season. Reminds me a little of a guy that was projected in the second round but won all of the awards for his position and the Rams took him in the middle of the 1st........Aaron Donald.
Tough to evaluate any of the picks until they play for a while. If Leatherwood starts from day one and is solid, he's worth the pick IMO. That is the Raiders expectation, to start him at RT. I would not be surprised to see other players drafted before him end up much worse.