Raiders release 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood, adding to list of recent draft busts

It would be difficult to overstate just how poorly Mike Mayock's draft picks turned out for the Las Vegas Raiders during his three years with the team.

At least as it relates to his first-round picks.

His drafting process took another major hit on Tuesday when the team waived 2021 first-round pick Alex Leatherwood after just one year with the team.

Leatherwood was the No. 17 overall pick by the Raiders out of Alabama a year ago and started all 17 games as a rookie. He was drafted as a tackle but was eventually kicked inside to guard after struggling outside. 

The new Raiders' front office obviously has no loyalty to a player drafted by the previous regime, but it is still not a positive sign when a team is willing to part ways with a player that was picked 17th overall after just one season.

It also continues what has been an almost unbelievably run of drafting futility by the Raiders in the first round. The Raiders made six first-round draft picks between 2019 and 2021 and have already cut three of them. Leatherwood joins 2020 first-round picks Henry Ruggs and Damon Arnette (both cut after off-field legal issues) as cuts, while 2019 picks Clelin Ferril, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Abram all had their fifth-year options declined. 

Despite the recent first-round drafting failures the Raiders still made the AFC playoffs a year ago and had a big offseason that saw them add Davante Adams, Chandler Jones and Rock Ya-Sin that will make them a major factor in the AFC West race.