Raiders Roster Evaluation: Nick Kwiatkoski

The 2021 NFL Draft is now behind us, and that means teams across the NFL are in the process of piecing together their entire rosters.

The Las Vegas Raiders are likely no different before what could be a pivotal fourth season of the second Jon Gruden era.

That's why we'll be going over roster evaluations for the Raiders players and position groups to see how everyone's stock measures up heading into the summer.

Cory Littleton was probably seen as the bigger free-agent addition the last offseason, but it was fellow linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski who ended up giving the Raiders value last season. 

A fourth-round pick in 2016 by the Chicago Bears, Kwiatkoski had produced well in a rotational and part-time starting role.

He got the opportunity last season to be a full-time starter for the first time when the Silver and Black signed him to a three-year deal. 

Kwiatkoski ends up missing four games due to injury, but still would finish with a career-high in total tackles with 81, along with a sack and interception. 

It's in pass coverage that Kwiatkoski actually showed brightest last season when he was healthy. He finished with the seventh-best coverage grade of any linebacker according to Pro Football Focus.

That grade was the primary driving force in him being ranked as PFF's 18th best linebacker in the league last season. 

Kwiatkoski's counting stats might not completely illustrate the impact he was able to have, but when he was on the field, he was able to be a plus for the Raiders defense. 

With better health and hopefully better output from the rest of the Raiders defense, there might be another level of production for Kwiatkoski to reach next season.