Pierce, Graham Helped Raiders' LBs Develop

The Las Vegas Raiders should be one of the best defensive units in the NFL again in 2024.

While there are questions about their secondary, the Raiders’ front seven will be tough for offenses to handle.

The defensive line is loaded with the addition of Christian Wilkins and the emergence of Malcolm Koonce off the edge, and Maxx Crosby will continue to be one of the best defensive ends in the league.

Where the Raiders will really make their money, however, is with their two starting linebackers, Divine Deablo and Robert Spillane.

Deablo was a former safety coming out of Virginia Tech in the 2021 NFL Draft and has developed into an impressive linebacker. Spillane earned a two-year, $7 million contract during the 2023 free agency period, and he cashed in on it by posting a career-high 148 tackles.

The Raiders have one of the most underrated linebacker duos in the NFL. They are not Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw of the San Francisco 49ers by any means, but they are certainly close to being one of the best groups in the league.

This is a testament to the work Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham and Coach Antonio Pierce have done developing these two and molding them into the players they are today.

As a former Super Bowl-winning linebacker, Pierce knows what it takes to play the position, and that is reflected in Deablo and Spillane.

Deablo and Spillane have different skill sets that complement each other. As a former defensive back, Deablo has natural coverage ability and can cover tight ends over the middle of the field. He can also make plays on running backs quickly.

Spillane is excellent at fitting the run and getting downhill to make plays. His toughness reflects that of Pierce’s, and he has been key in re-establishing the Raiders culture.

Neither Deablo nor Spillane were big-time draft prospects entering the NFL. Deablo became a linebacker in the league, while Spillane went undrafted and worked to make a roster coming out of Western Michigan.

This development should bode well for players like Amari Burney and Tommy Eichenberg, who have similar physical profiles and experiences to the linebackers who will start for the Raiders.

Developing players into quality starters is key for teams to become great, and that’s what Pierce and Graham have done for the Raiders’ linebackers.

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