No. 17 – Las Vegas Raiders – Alex Leatherwood (OL)
Leatherwood wasn’t necessarily expected to be taken in Round 1, but the Raiders are known to take their guys. Additionally, they wanted to continue bolstering their offensive line. Leatherwood has some positional versatility along the O-line, and he’ll aim to boost Vegas’ running game in 2021.
The #Raiders came into the draft hoping an OT would fall to them. At No. 17, it’s Alabama OT Alex Leatherwood. A surprise is an understatement.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 30, 2021
Alex Leatherwood simple a case of Jon Gruden falling in love w a last name
— PFTCommenter (@PFTCommenter) April 30, 2021
Alex Leatherwood is my No. 69 overall player.
Last year, Damon Arnette was my No. 99 overall player.#Raiders took both in Round 1
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) April 30, 2021
No. 18 – Miami Dolphins – Jaelan Phillips (EDGE)
Jaelan Phillips comes with a concerning injury history but is arguably the most talented edge rusher in the 2021 NFL Draft class. Explosive with good hands and ankle flexion, Phillips can win with both power and finesse. He likely punched his card as the first edge rusher off the board thanks to an exceptional Pro Day performance. Double-digit sack seasons should be in the cards for the intriguing rookie.
Miami edge rusher Jaelen Phillips doesn’t have to go far….he remains a Miami edge pass rusher, going to the Dolphins at 18.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 30, 2021
