Raiders Week 14 snap counts vs Chiefs: Divine Deablo leads all linebackers

Raiders Week 14 snap counts vs Chiefs: Divine Deablo leads all linebackers

Two weeks ago Divine Deablo didn’t see a snap on defense. The third round rookie had just 26 total defensive snaps on the season. Last week against Washington he had a season-high 38 snaps (57%). Sunday against the Chiefs, Deablo not only saw another career-high in snaps, he got the start and his 52 snaps (79%) led all Raiders linebackers.

The former safety’s emergence is due to the injury to Denzel Perryman. Also seeing a season-high in snaps with Perryman out was KJ Wright who had 49 snaps (74%).

Deabloe finished second on the team with nine tackles (four solo) and added a tackle on special teams as well.

With the Raiders losing five of their last six games, it’s approaching the time when they need to start thinking hard about getting longer looks at their young players like Deablo and Malcolm Koonce.

OFFENSE Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Kolton Miller T 63 100% 2 8%
John Simpson G 63 100% 2 8%
Alex Leatherwood T 63 100% 2 8%
Andre James C 63 100% 0 0%
Derek Carr QB 63 100% 0 0%
Foster Moreau TE 62 98% 9 35%
Brandon Parker T 62 98% 2 8%
Hunter Renfrow WR 59 94% 1 4%
Zay Jones WR 53 84% 0 0%
Josh Jacobs RB 47 75% 0 0%
Bryan Edwards WR 39 62% 0 0%
DeSean Jackson WR 32 51% 0 0%
Trey Ragas RB 9 14% 9 35%
Peyton Barber RB 7 11% 0 0%
Jackson Barton T 3 5% 0 0%
Sutton Smith FB 2 3% 9 35%
Daniel Helm TE 1 2% 15 58%
Tyron Johnson WR 1 2% 9 35%
Marcus Mariota QB 1 2% 0 0%
DEFENSE Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Trevon Moehrig FS 66 100% 11 42%
Johnathan Abram SS 66 100% 2 8%
Casey Hayward CB 64 97% 0 0%
Nate Hobbs CB 61 92% 10 38%
Maxx Crosby DE 54 82% 8 31%
Divine Deablo LB 52 79% 6 23%
K.J. Wright LB 49 74% 0 0%
Yannick Ngakoue DE 47 71% 0 0%
Quinton Jefferson DT 43 65% 8 31%
Johnathan Hankins NT 43 65% 7 27%
Trayvon Mullen CB 40 61% 0 0%
Solomon Thomas DT 29 44% 8 31%
Brandon Facyson CB 26 39% 9 35%
Cory Littleton LB 19 29% 12 46%
Clelin Ferrell DE 17 26% 15 58%
Darius Philon DT 15 23% 3 12%
Malcolm Koonce DE 15 23% 1 4%
Dallin Leavitt FS 13 20% 24 92%
Marquel Lee LB 5 8% 24 92%
Desmond Trufant CB 2 3% 0 0%
SPECIAL TEAMS Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Keisean Nixon CB 0 0% 16 62%
Roderic Teamer CB 0 0% 16 62%
William Compton LB 0 0% 15 58%
Javin White LB 0 0% 11 42%
Trent Sieg LS 0 0% 6 23%
AJ Cole III P 0 0% 6 23%
Daniel Carlson K 0 0% 4 15%
Jordan Simmons G 0 0% 2 8%
Nick Martin C 0 0% 2 8

 

Raiders Week 13 snap counts vs Washington: Rookies see most extensive playing time

Raiders Week 13 snap counts vs Washington: Rookies see most extensive playing time

Most of this season, the Raiders have relied heavily on a few of their rookies while the rest have barely seen the field. Sunday, those same players they’ve relied upon all season still played a lot of snaps, but they were joined by a couple of other rookies.

Third round rookies Malcolm Koonce and Divine Deablo both saw season highs in snaps.

Koonce made his debut, seeing his first snaps of the season. Koonce got the nod due to the injury to Carl Nassib. The rookie played 7 snaps and got a sack. He also played four snaps on special teams.

Deablo saw a season-high 38 defensive snaps plus 17 on special teams. He came into the game when Nicholas Morrow left with an injury. Prior to this game, Deablo had seen just 26 defensive snaps over the first 11 games combined.

Top two rookies G Alex Leatherwood and S Tre’von Moehrig both played every snap. While nickel CB Nate Hobbs played 49 snaps (73%).

OFFENSE Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Kolton Miller T 59 100% 3 13%
Alex Leatherwood T 59 100% 3 13%
John Simpson G 59 100% 3 13%
Brandon Parker T 59 100% 3 13%
Derek Carr QB 59 100% 0 0%
Andre James C 59 100% 0 0%
Hunter Renfrow WR 54 92% 4 17%
Zay Jones WR 51 86% 0 0%
Foster Moreau TE 50 85% 7 30%
Josh Jacobs RB 50 85% 0 0%
Bryan Edwards WR 40 68% 0 0%
DeSean Jackson WR 24 41% 0 0%
Kenyan Drake RB 7 12% 1 4%
Sutton Smith FB 6 10% 9 39%
Peyton Barber RB 5 8% 3 13%
Jackson Barton T 3 5% 0 0%
Daniel Helm TE 2 3% 11 48%
Marcus Mariota QB 2 3% 0 0%
Nick Martin C 1 2% 3 13%
DEFENSE Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Trevon Moehrig FS 67 100% 12 52%
Brandon Facyson CB 67 100% 8 35%
Johnathan Abram SS 67 100% 4 17%
Casey Hayward CB 67 100% 0 0%
Maxx Crosby DE 60 90% 3 13%
Yannick Ngakoue DE 54 81% 0 0%
Nate Hobbs CB 49 73% 8 35%
Denzel Perryman LB 47 70% 0 0%
Quinton Jefferson DT 45 67% 3 13%
Divine Deablo LB 38 57% 17 74%
Johnathan Hankins NT 37 55% 2 9%
K.J. Wright LB 35 52% 0 0%
Solomon Thomas DT 33 49% 3 13%
Cory Littleton LB 23 34% 12 52%
Damion Square NT 17 25% 1 4%
Clelin Ferrell DE 13 19% 8 35%
Dallin Leavitt FS 8 12% 20 87%
Malcolm Koonce DE 7 10% 4 17%
Marquel Lee LB 3 4% 19 83%
SPECIAL TEAMS Spec Tms
Player Pos Num Pct Num Pct
Keisean Nixon CB 0 0% 17 74%
Roderic Teamer CB 0 0% 17 74%
Nick Kwiatkoski LB 0 0% 8 35%
Daniel Carlson K 0 0% 8 35%
Matt Bushman TE 0 0% 8 35%
AJ Cole III P 0 0% 7 30%
Carson Tinker LS 0 0% 7 30%
Dillon Stoner WR 0 0% 4 17%
Jordan Simmons G 0 0% 3 13%

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[lawrence-newsletter]

Rookie LB Divine Deablo latest Raiders player to nab single-digit number

Rookie LB Divine Deablo latest Raiders player to nab single digit number

This offseason, the NFL opened up their number selection rules to allow most positions to wear single digit numbers. It used to be just quarterbacks, kickers, and punters who were allowed. Now it’s anyone other than linemen who can don a single digit.

The first Raiders player to change to a single-digit number was Zay Jones who switched from No. 12 to No. 7. Now the Raider have another. Third-round rookie linebacker Divine Deablo has switched from No. 49 to No. 5.

What’s interesting is the number five was always available to Deablo or anyone. No one was wearing it in camp, so it wasn’t a matter of waiting until a player was cut to pounce on it. It must’ve been that he just wasn’t given permission until now.

Often times the reason for the switch has to do with what the player wore in college. That was the case with Zay Jones who wore number seven at East Carolina. Deablo, on the other hand, wore  No. 17 as a safety at Virginia Tech. And wore No. 88 as a freshman when he played wide receiver. So, I guess until someone asks him, we won’t know what the significance is to the number five.

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[lawrence-newsletter]

Jon Gruden hopes Raiders LB Divine Deablo is on a ‘fast track’ to playing time

Jon Gruden hopes Raiders LB Divine Deablo is on a ‘fast track’ to playing time

As the Raiders look to rebound from last year’s calamity on defense, they need their collection of young talent to mature rapidly. Players such as safety Johnathan Abram, defensive end Clelin Ferrell and cornerback Damon Arnette have some seasoning, and their time should be now.

But what about this year’s draft class? The Raiders already have one apparent instant hit in rookie cornerback Nate Hobbs, and Tre’von Moehrig has impressed at safety. Malcolm Koonce also looks promising as an edge rusher.

Their fellow rookie, linebacker Divine Deablo, has yet to suit up, however, due to injury. He’s finally set to play this Sunday in the Raiders’ preseason finale against the 49ers, and coach Jon Gruden hopes it’s just the beginning for his third-round pick.

“He’s got athleticism and range. He has playing speed,” Gruden said of Deablo during media availability on Wednesday. “He showed very good instincts at Virginia Tech at a couple of different positions, so that combination is exciting. We think he and Cory Littleton will give us two really athletic young linebackers. We’re hoping he can be a fast track; you know, he’s going to have to learn quickly on the run because they’re not postponing any of our games.”

Deablo excelled as a safety in college, but at 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, he could be an ideal fit for Gus Bradley’s defense in Las Vegas.

Gruden also mentioned LB Cory Littleton, who could also be perfect for Bradley’s cover-3 scheme, which demands team speed. The more fast, athletic linebackers in Las Vegas, the better. Especially with recent injuries at that position, most notably Nicholas Morrow, who was atop the depth chart at middle linebacker.

But could Deablo do what Hobbs has done and put himself on the fast track to playing time, as Gruden hopes? Before that’s decided, the coaching staff has to watch him play linebacker in the NFL, and that figures to be a steep learning curve. But anything is possible, especially on a Raiders team in dire need of impact players on defense.

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[lawrence-newsletter]

Raiders got three defenders back on Tuesday, all will see action in preseason

Raiders got three defenders back on Tuesday, all will see action in preseason

Tuesday was full of good news for the Raiders in terms of players returning. Not only did Darren Waller and Marcus Mariota take the field, but they got three defenders who could all make the team and play key roles this season.

“We got a lot of guys returning,” said head coach Jon Gruden. “Karl Joseph showed up, Isaiah Johnson showed up. [Divine] Deablo got some reps today. So, we got a lot of guys that are on the fringe of coming back.”

Deablo and Johnson have spent all of camp on the PUP list. Both passed their physicals late last week and took the field for the first time today. They may not see the field in the team’s second preseason game in Los Angeles, but Gruden is targeting the final preseason game in San Francisco for them to prove themselves.

“We’re really encouraged with Divine,” Gruden said of his third-round rookie. “He had an injury that we feared was worse than it was. And I give him a lot of credit, while we were all on vacation having a good time, he was here two-a-days, rehabbing, and he’s ready to go. We are going to protect him here for the next four or five days as he gets acclimated to pads, but there is a good chance you may see him against the 49ers.

“And Isaiah, the same thing, we’re going to kind of put the boat in the water these next few days and hopefully get him on the grass against San Francisco in that last preseason game.”

Johnson has an uphill battle on his hands to find a place on the depth chart at cornerback. Even with Nevin Lawson starting the season suspended, it’s a crowded cornerback room.

Joseph has been out the past two weeks. He was brought back this offseason and is expected to provide valuable depth at safety initially, primarily strong safety. And should Johnathan Abram struggle again this season, Joseph could find himself in the starting lineup before long.

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[lawrence-newsletter]

Raiders sign third-round pick Divine Deablo to 4-year deal

Raiders sign third-round pick Divine Deablo to 4-year

Report day for training camp is just four days away. So, the Raiders must finish up some business and get the last of their rookies under contract. Friday they officially signed the sixth of their seven rookie draft picks, inking third round pick Divine Deablo to his four-year rookie deal.

Deablo was selected at pick 80 in the third round. He signs on to a 4-year, $5 million deal with a cap hit of $905K for this season.

The 6-3, 223-pounder played safety at Virginia Tech, but will move to linebacker in the pros for the Raiders. He molds his game after former Seattle Seahawks’ big hitting safety Kam Chancellor.

As a linebacker, he immediately becomes one of the most athletic coverage linebackers in the NFL, running a 4.42 40-yard-dash at his pro day. He should contribute immediately on special teams and compete for snaps in nickel formations and obvious passing downs.

His signing leaves just one Raiders draft pick unsigned — Malcolm Koonce, who was taken just before Deablo at pick 79 in the third round.

[lawrence-newsletter]

Here is what NFL scouts were saying about Raiders LB Divine Deablo ahead of Draft

Tweener. That’s what some would have called Divine Deablo ahead of this year’s draft. A guy who came to college as a wide receiver, switched to safety, even playing some cornerback, but has the makings of a linebacker at the NFL level. “Interesting …

Tweener. That’s what some would have called Divine Deablo ahead of this year’s draft. A guy who came to college as a wide receiver, switched to safety, even playing some cornerback, but has the makings of a linebacker at the NFL level.

“Interesting guy,” one scout told The Athletic of Deablo during the pre-draft process. “He’s in the mold of (Kyle) Dugger and (Jeremy) Chinn. An absolutely fabulous kid. I don’t know where you play the guy. There will be some concerns in one-on-one coverage. He’s got a little tightness to him. He loves the game. You’ve just got to figure him out.”

Having to “figure him out” made him tough to place in the draft. The 6-3, 226-pound DB idolized fellow Virginia Tech alum Kam Chancellor who went on to star at safety in the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defense. Deablo even changed his number to 17, just like Chancellor wore in his days for the Hokies.

Kam was drafted in 2010 and the league has changed quite a bit since then. Even in the past five years since Chancellor made his last Pro Bowl it’s changed.

One scout said he saw the physical similarities between the two, but not quite the level of aggressive playstyle. He also saw some intriguing possibilities when he was asked to play some linebacker at the Senior Bowl.

“You think you’re going to get Kam Chancellor,” one scout said. “This kid doesn’t have that kind of mentality. Chancellor would knock your teeth (out). Deablo is athletic as a tackler, but he’s not mean or explosive or anything like that. But the upside’s really good.

“He played a lot of sub linebacker in the Senior Bowl and did really well. He doesn’t have a ton of wiggle as far as man coverage, but he can play in zone because he’s fast, long and pretty instinctive.”

Nowadays, coverage abilities in a linebacker are considered crucial. So, when you see a safety with the kind of size and tackling abilities, he is viewed by many teams as a linebacker.

What’s interesting is, when The Athletic’s Bob McGinn polled 20 scouts about the safety class, Deablo still landed at sixth in the class. Even with many seeing him switching positions.

Deablo shocked a lot of people, running a 4.42 40-yard-dash at his pro day. That’s fast even for a safety, it’s blistering fast for a linebacker.

“I didn’t think the guy could run,” a third scout said. “I estimated 4.7. Then he did. He’s best in the box, but has free-safety range. I imagine he’ll end up playing linebacker.”

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Detroit mock draft watch: Dane Brugler tackles the Lions 7-round mock

Dane Brugler from The Athletic gives his take on who the Detroit Lions could take in his 7-round mock draft

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With the much-anticipated release of his draft guide known as The Beast recently, Dane Brugler from The Athletic tackles a complete 7-round mock draft from Trevor Lawerence all the way to Mr. Irrelvant.

Taking on a complete 7-round mock is no easy feat, and Brugler tries slot players according to their team needs, scheme, and culture fit to the best of his abilities. Without further ado, below is his haul for the Lions.

1st round (7)- Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon

2nd round (41)- Terrace Marshall, WR, LSU

3rd round (72)- Divine Deablo, DS, Virginia Tech

3rd round (101)- Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina

4th round (112)- Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan

5th round (153)- Daelin Hayes, Edge, Notre Dame

Even with Justin Fields and both Alabama receivers on the board, Brugler elected to build within the trenches and gave Detroit a young can’t miss prospect in Sewell. With the possibility of four quarterbacks selected to start the draft, Sewell has gained some popularity as a viable option for Detroit. At only 19 years old, Sewell will shore up the right side of the line opposite of Taylor Decker, possibly creating one of the top offensive lines in the league.

With Detroit seeing their receiver corps decimated over the off-season and filling the room with mostly one-year deal options, Detroit desperately needs fresh blood. Brugler gives them some help in the form of Terrence Marshall Jr. If any fan was missing Kenny Golladay, Marshall will essentially alleviate those feelings being an almost copy clone as the big-bodied receiver who thrives in contested catches.

Detroit’s cupboard at safety is looking bare, with only four players rounding out the depth chart. Fortunately, Brugler slots Divine Deablo as potential reinforcement in the secondary. Deablo was recently tagged as a potential option by own Jeff Risdon, highlighting his run-defending, blitz ability, and special teams ability. He is one of those linebacker/safety tweeners that you can play best on best against your opponent.

With the Lions linebacking corps going through a remodel of sorts, the new regime will be looking to inject some athleticism in the mix, and Brugler helps that out with the selection of Chaz Surratt. Also tagged as a fantasy option by Jeff Risdon, the former quarterback brings strong intelligence that gives him a leg up reading the opponent’s offense. With his athleticism, he will fit in perfectly as the Lions weakside linebacker.

With the recent signings for Quinton Dunbar and Corn Elder, the Lions have filled in some gaps in the cornerback corps that needed some addressing. Even though the Lions are not on the prowl for cornerbacks, they couldn’t go wrong with taking an upside corner who could start later down the road, and that is what Brugler does with the selection of Ambry Thomas. Even though his technique is questionable, he has the tools and mentality to compete for snaps in the future.

In the later parts of the drafts, you are taking a gamble on a player’s upside and see if you can get the most out of their potential. With Brugler’s selection of Daelin Hayes, that will be exactly what the Lions will be hoping for. Hayes could be drafted much earlier with his versatile nature as a hand in the dirt or stand-up rusher if it wasn’t for his history of shoulder issues. If the coaching staff can build up his strength and pass rush repertoire, he could find a spot as a rotational SAM linebacker.