Tag: Alex Leatherwood news

Alex Leatherwood leaning on teammates, coaching staff, calls Raiders ‘a great organization’

Alex Leatherwood calls Raiders ‘a great organization’

The Las Vegas Raiders have a new-look offensive line, and the most glaring difference could be at right tackle. Big-money free agent Trent Brown is gone, and the young, ultra-competitive Alex Leatherwood has taken his place.

A couple of weeks ago, Raiders offensive line coach Tom Cable said Leatherwood’s competitive drive is what compelled Las Vegas to select him in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Cable also said Leatherwood is a bit “nerdy.” That means he’s smart enough to lean on his teammates and coaching staff to reach his goal of becoming a great NFL player.

“It’s been a huge learning experience,” Leatherwood told Tashan Reed of The Athletic. “For starters, at the end of the day, it’s all the same thing: It’s just football. So, I’m just trying to do what I do best.

“But, at the same time, I’m also trying to be a sponge and absorb as much as I can being a rookie and also playing a new position. I’m still trying to get adjusted to that and just leaning on my teammates. I feel like I got a bunch of great teammates here. I feel like this is a great organization. I have a lot of support with staff members and teammates teaching me things and helping me grow.”

Leatherwood came from a great college football program at Alabama, so when he calls the Raiders a “great organization,” his declaration carries weight.

Everyone involved in Las Vegas’ football operations knows how important it is to get Leatherwod started off right. This is a big year for the Raiders, with spectators in the stands at Allegiant Stadium for the first time, in addition to increased pressure on coach Jon Gruden to take the team to the playoffs.

And the entire offensive line is aware of all of that. They know that if they don’t perform, the season will not go well. That realization can form bonds quickly among the front five.

After one preseason game, Leatherwood looks as athletic and powerful as advertised. As he competes and strives to be the best, it will only give rise to the Raiders franchise where it counts: on the field when the stakes are high and the entire team has to compete as a cohesive unit.

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Tom Cable says Raiders OT Alex Leatherwood is a bit ‘nerdy’ and likes to ‘keep it real’

Tom Cable says Raiders OT Alex Leatherwood is a bit ‘nerdy’ and likes to ‘keep it real’

Offensive linemen in the NFL fly under the radar. That’s just the way it is. The position isn’t flashy, and there’s no way around that fact. It’s their job to ensure everyone else on the team makes waves, ideally in the form of touchdowns.

So if an offensive lineman longs to gain attention, they might not enjoy the NFL too much. Or they might spend time off the field looking to turn heads, which could impact their career negatively.

The Las Vegas Raiders had that in mind when they drafted offensive tackle Alex Leatherwood in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. Offensive line coach Tom Cable said that Leatherwoods’ no-frills demeanor was appealing, and as the rookie makes his way through training camp, Cable’s impression of Leatherwood has been solidified.

“He’s very introverted,” Cable said during media availability on Saturday. “Sometimes he can be even a little bit nerdy, which is cool for an O-lineman. I don’t have to worry about him out raising hell, or doing this or doing that, and he’s a pretty focussed guy.

“[He’s an] extreme competitor. I think that was probably my No. 1 characteristic that I loved about him; that he loved to play, and he loves to be great. As he fails, he learns. That’s the really cool part.”

The fact that Leatherwood “loves to be great” certainly has a nice ring to it.

But wait, did Cable call him “nerdy?” Cable meant it as a compliment, but still, very few people want to be labeled a nerd. Thankfully, someone asked Cable a follow-up question about Leatherwood’s personality.

“He’s extremely intelligent, first of all,” Cable said. “He’s quite well-read, studies, likes to read, things like that. That’s not necessarily typical for an athlete or for anyone. He likes to keep it real. If that’s the right word. He doesn’t really get outside his box, I guess is the right way to say it.”

Man, this just keeps getting better. Leatherwood keeps it real. That means he knows that it’s not his job to earn Monday-morning headlines. He’s tasked with being a steady mauler, simple as that.

And Leatherwood is smart enough to know that when his career is all said and done, he’ll earn his accolades if he keeps competing and getting better, as Cable said he is. Add Leatherwood’s impressive measurables to the equation, and the Raiders could have the toughest nerd in Las Vegas on their side on Sundays.