Raiders get roasted for tweet bashing ‘draft experts’

The Las Vegas Raiders got roasted after calling out “draft experts” for ridiculing their first round selection of Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood.

It has been somewhat of a yearly tradition where the Las Vegas Raiders leave football fans in utter befuddlement with their NFL Draft selections.

That was exactly what happened in the first-round of the 2021 NFL Draft, as the Raiders opted to select Alabama offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood with the 17th-overall pick, despite the fact that there were higher rated linemen still on the board.

On Friday, the Raiders social media account decided to snipe back at the critics by tweeting out that head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock saw Leatherwood as a starting right tackle, “regardless of what any ‘draft expert’ said.”

Of course, the social media account was basically asking for it, as the comments section were ruthless towards the AFC West squad.

Raiders roasted for bashing “draft experts” following first-round selection in 2021 NFL Draft

While Gruden and Mayock are entitled to pick whoever they want, Leatherwood was projected by many as a second-round draft prospects. With Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw still on the board once the Raiders were on the clock, it was a hard-sell for the fanbase.

On Friday, there were reports that there was “friction” in the organization over the Leatherwood selection, which the Raiders denied hours later.

The Gruden-Mayock regime is not shy about making some reaches for guys they like in the NFL Draft. Let’s not forget in 2019 when the team selected Clemson edge rusher Clelin Ferrell with the fourth-overall pick over the likes of linebacker Devin White and defensive end Josh Allen. That was an absolute shock, considering the talents of Allen and White.

Las Vegas obviously loves Leatherwood’s potential at the NFL level, but they did rile up the critics by sarcastically calling them “experts.”