Entering the 2021 NFL draft, the Raiders had a massive hole at safety. The team needed a true free safety that could cover the deep third of the field, and they found that defender in Trevon Moehrig at No. 43.
But Moehrig wasn’t the only safety that the Raiders traded up for in this year’s draft. In the fourth round, Mike Mayock and Jon Gruden went up and snagged Missouri safety Tyree Gillespie, who was by far their highest-graded player left on the board.
In a recent article by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Gillespie was named the pick that could surprise from this class for the Raiders. Here is what Brugler had to say about the pick:
“They also traded up for Gillespie in the fourth. With safety such a problem area, I don’t blame Las Vegas for using multiple resources to address the issue. I wish Gillespie made more plays on the football, but his play speed and toughness are what you want at the position.”
With Karl Joseph being on a one-year contract, the hope is that Gillespie can become the team’s third safety by the 2022 season. He certainly is physical enough to do so but needs to become a bit more consistent in coverage.
As a rookie, look for Gillespie to play on special teams and potentially earn snaps on defense later in the year.
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