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A Healthy Divine Deablo is Crucial for Raiders
USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders revamped their defense through free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft, adding a number of players who will have a chance to earn a starting job.

One player who was a starter before he got injured last season was linebacker Divine Deablo. Deablo suffered an arm injury and missed nine games, but was an impactful defender before that. In eight starts, Deablo recorded 74 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass break up.

The Raiders signed Robert Spillane from the Pittsburgh Steelers, but didn’t address the linebacker position through the draft until the sixth round when they took Florida’s Amari Burney, so Deablo should have a good chance to go into camp as a starter.

The Raiders drafted Deablo in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Virginia Tech, and he had a good rookie season as a rotational player with 45 tackles and a tackle for loss.

Deablo was productive before his injury, and he is a great athlete. Deablo’s speed and coverage skills are coveted at the linebacker position, as many teams in the NFL shift to pass-heavy offensive game plans. Teams need as many players as possible to be able to cover downfield, and Deablo offers that for the Raiders.

If the Raiders can get Divine Deablo healthy again, he adds a dynamic element to their defense, especially in the passing game. Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham can use him in a number of ways that they will need as they face the dynamic passing attacks in the AFC West.

Here is a complete list of every pick and links to more information about them:

Round 1 No. 7 overall pick: Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech

Round 2 No. 35 overall pick: Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame

Round 3 No. 70 overall: Byron Young, DT, Alabama

Round 3 No. 100 overall: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati

Round 4 No. 104 overall: Jakorian Bennett, CB, Maryland

Round 4 No. 135 overall: Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue

Round 5 No. 170 overall: Christopher Smith II, S, Georgia

Round 6 No. 203 overall: Amari Burney, LB, Florida

Round 7 No. 231 overall: Nesta Jade Silvera, DT, Arizona State

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This article first appeared on FanNation Raider Maven and was syndicated with permission.

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