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2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the 5 biggest reaches

By Jackson Caudell

Davis Mills, Stanford Football. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Davis Mills, Stanford Football. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 15: Alex Leatherwood #70 of the Alabama Crimson Tide guards during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MS – SEPTEMBER 15: Alex Leatherwood #70 of the Alabama Crimson Tide guards during a game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

1. Alex Leatherwood, No. 17 to the Raiders

This was the biggest reach in the 2021 NFL Draft. It should come as no surprise that the Raiders reached on yet another player, after taking Clelin Farrell fourth overall a few years back and Damon Arnette and Henry Ruggs last season.

The Raiders consistently reach on guys and it did not stop this season with the selection of Alabama offensive linemen Alex Leatherwood.

Leatherwood was thought to be a second-round pick and it was unknown whether he would be a tackle or a guard at the next level. That kind of uncertainty can be tough for teams to take early and Leatherwood was not thought to be an elite prospect. Couple that with there were some top tackles on the board, such as Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw and Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins, and it makes the decision to take Leatherwood that much worse.

This was a big reach for the Raiders.

Next. Way-too-early preseason Top 25 projections for 2021. dark

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