The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t do Alex Leatherwood any favors by drafting him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The former Alabama offensive lineman was anticipated to be a second or third-round pick, but the team chose to take him at No. 17.
Leatherwood played just one season in Las Vegas before being traded to the Chicago Bears. His time in Chicago was short-lived, and he spent some time with the Cleveland Browns last season. On May 29, the Los Angeles Chargers announced they had signed Leatherwood.
Leatherwood didn’t play any games last season and only appeared in four games in 2022, so he has limited on-field experience. Offensive linemen often need many reps to reach their peak performance.
In college, Leatherwood won the Outland Award, which is given to the nation’s top interior offensive lineman. Despite his poor NFL performance, he is only 25 and might still have potential. Since his rookie season, he hasn’t had a real chance to prove himself. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh values offensive line play, so Leatherwood will likely receive strong coaching in Los Angeles.
Kolton Miller a Top-10 OT
The Raiders have struggled with inconsistency across the offensive line for several seasons, except for left tackle Kolton Miller. He has been a dependable player on the left side and continues to perform at a high level.
Pro Football Focus’s Zoltan Buday recently ranked the top 32 offensive tackles in the NFL, placing Miller at No. 10.
“Miller gave up pressure on just 4.0% of dropbacks in 2023, tied for the fifth-best rate among offensive tackles in the NFL,” Buday wrote in a May 28 column. “This is even more impressive given that Miller was slowed down by an injury over the second half of the season. Over the last four years, Miller’s 87.1 pass-blocking grade ranks third among left tackles during that period.”
Miller is one of the top pass-blocking tackles in the NFL, and this trend is expected to continue.
Delmar Glaze Talks Rookie Season
The Raiders are secure at left tackle but have had trouble solidifying the right side. They drafted Delmar Glaze in the third round, hoping he could develop into a strong right tackle.
Glaze is versatile and can play all over the offensive line, so his position is yet to be determined. He is currently focusing on his development.
“Just continue to develop,” Glaze said during his May 10 media availability. “The biggest thing for me is just to contribute any way I can. If they need me at guard, I’ll go to guard. If they need me at left tackle, left guard, wherever, I’ll be ready to plug in and try to do all I can to play and help out. That’s my main goal right now.”
The Raiders have not settled on their left guard, right guard, or right tackle positions, so Glaze will have many opportunities to earn a role this season.
