Going into the 2022 season, the Raiders are hopeful that Alex Leatherwood can lockdown the right tackle spot this season. After all, they did select him at No. 17 in the 2021 NFL Draft to man that spot.
But what if Leatherwood is unable to perform well at right tackle again this season? Could the Raiders wind up drafting another offensive tackle in Round 1 next year?
In a recent mock draft by James Fragoza of the Pro Football Network, he has the Raiders addressing their offensive line need in the first round with Peter Skoronski from Northwestern. Here is what Fragoza has to say about the player and potential fit with the Raiders:
“With Rashawn Slater off to the NFL two years ago, Northerwestern’s starting left tackle job fell on the shoulders of then-true freshman Peter Skoronski. And boy, has he been a spectacle to watch. Standing 6’4″, 294 pounds, he won’t win many matchups with brute force.
But Skoronski is one of the most consistent OTs in the class, leading to a higher perceived floor. The Raiders can’t swing and miss on the offensive line. Skoronski is as close as to a surefire prospect this early in the process.”
Skoronski is one of the highest-graded offensive tackles in the country heading into the 2022 college football season. While he doesn’t have fantastic size, he is a mauler who has improved each season in the Big Ten.
With the Raiders already having Kolton Miller on the roster, Skoronski would slide in at right tackle. That means Leatherwood could move back to guard or potentially off the roster entirely.
The best-case scenario for the Raiders would be Leatherwood breaks out in Year 2. But if that doesn’t happen, keep an eye on Skoronski during this college football season as he could be an option in Round 1.
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