Raiders’ most underrated players: Offense and defense

Productive players get lost on every NFL roster and don’t get enough credit — both internally and at the national level.

I present two Las Vegas Raiders’ players — one on each side of the ball — who I think are underrated and don’t get enough credit. Let’s take a look:

Offense

Left tackle Kolton Miller: Pro Football Focus recently ranked Miller as the No. 23 overall tackle in the NFL. I think that’s low. I’m not going as far as saying Miller is an elite left tackle, but he’s better than average and, he is just entering his prime. Scouts around the league think he made big strides in 2020 and there is no reason to think that can’t continue. The Raiders certainly think Miller is an emerging player. He became the first 2018 first-round draft pick to get an extension, earlier this offseason.

Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images

Defense

Defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins: Hankins is not going to get a lot of headlines or fanfare, but he’s the type of player that defensive coordinator’s want on their roster. He is get-and-down-and-dirty interior lineman who is quietly disruptive. He is good against the run and he tries hard although he may not fill up the stat sheet. There’s a reason why the Raiders brought him back for a fourth season, in 2021.