Many questioned Alex Leatherwood’s selection at No. 17 for the Las Vegas Raiders. However, you don’t become the blindside blocker on a Nick Saban football team unless you’re pretty damn good.
Talk about a bloody massive bloke, bruv. At six-foot-five and 312 pounds and a massive wingspan of 33 â…ž”, Alex Leatherwood has the measurables to compete. He also has the Alabama pedigree.
Despite all that, many called the Raiders’ decision to take Leatherwood No. 17 overall as pure bollocks. Labeled a reach by many, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone that’ll say “That was a damn god pick, mate.”
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The Raiders didn’t reach with Leatherwood
Yet, you don’t become a blindside blocker on Nick Saban’s football team if you aren’t quality or competent, so there’s something there with Leatherwood. While there are instances on tape where Leatherwood’s drive and finish aren’t tip-top, there aren’t instances where he was a supreme liability, either.
And don’t discount he’s going to an offensive line coach — Tom Cable — who has done a marvelous job in transforming Kolton Miller from a widely-panned reach to a bloody reliable anchor on the blindside.
There’s work that needs to be done but let’s take a gander at Plissken’s Peaks: Alex Leatherwood.
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*Top Photo: Mickey Welsh/Tide Sports