The last draft class for Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock occurred in 2021 when they drafted Alex Leatherwood with their first-round pick. While the jury is still out on that pick, they did grab multiple players on Day 2 and Day 3 that could be building blocks for the future.
One of those building blocks is Nate Hobbs, who was the team’s slot cornerback for 16 games this season. He allowed just 399 yards on 62 targets this season and made a living by making tackles in both the run and pass game.
In a recent article by ESPN, they ranked the top-10 rookies of the 2021 season. Unfortunately, Hobbs did not make the list, but he was an honorable mention and was the first player to “miss the cut”. Here is what Jeff Legwold had to say about the former fifth-round pick:
“Hobbs’ next step will be to turn the high-quality snaps he consistently showed as a slot corner (74 tackles) into more ball production. He finished the season with one interception and three passes defended.”
The Raiders could be in the market for some outside cornerbacks this offseason. But having someone as young and as good as Hobbs in the slot will make that job much easier.
The goal for Hobbs going into the 2022 season has to be creating more turnovers. But considering how reliable and consistent he proved to be as a rookie, the Raiders have to be giddy about his future with the team.
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