HENDERSON, NV — The play seemed innocent enough as Divine Deablo teamed with Denzel Perryman to take down Travis Etienne Jr.
But Deablo’s right forearm was caught between Etienne and Perryman’s helmets on the play, and after being helped off the field, Deablo would not return. And not just for the game, but for the entire season. One in which the linebacker not only led the Raiders in tackles at the time with 74, but he was also tied for eighth in the NFL.
“I didn’t think my arm would be broken,” Diplo said last week during a mandatory mini-camp. “The x-rays came and it turned out to be broken. Of course I was down, I was sad… I knew I was going to miss the rest of the season, but I saw it as an opportunity.
“I just studied the game; I worked harder and stayed here the whole time just hoping it would work out on the field.”
Deablo has not only added 13 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame to bring him up to 238 pounds—defensive coordinator Patrick Graham calls him a “Big Swole”—but he’s also been rewarded for his commitment, as he wears a green point helmet As a defensive caller for a unit in need of playmakers and leaders with its second year entering under Graham and head coach Josh McDaniels.
Not bad for a Virginia Tech third-round pick in 2021 who’s a converted safety from a season-ending injury, right?
“I’m really fond of Divine,” McDaniels said. “I think he knows that, and we’ve given them a lot of responsibility. … Divine has grown literally every week since I’ve seen him and known him. He’s working hard in the football game. I think he’s embraced this year as a year of growth for him, not just on the field from In terms of what he does on the field, but also how he can influence others.”
Diplo, who found 238 pounds too heavy and dropped to 234 in the minicamp, has become more of a sponge this season; He spends lessons.
“With knowledge comes that confidence in yourself and also the confidence to tell your teammates if they ask a question,” said McDaniels. “Last year, I know we’ve had a few younger guys where someone would ask them a question and there’d be crickets, and it feels bad if you’re the one asking the question. So, Divine knows a lot, he understands the full scope of defense. We’re trying to get him to learn that.” From this perspective so that he can help others.”
The man entering his third season in the NFL is the most consistent player in the Raiders’ linebacker room. Then again, he wasn’t shy about speaking his mind as a rookie after a blowout 48-9 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in December 2021.
“Personally, I feel like a lot of people would just hold back, for lack of a better term,” Diplo said that day. “They’re just going to lie down and train, not ready to train. I know I’m a rookie, but I don’t want my teammates to do that. I’m going to make sure they’re ready to train and we achieve that intensity every day.”
For what it’s worth, this was Deablo’s first career start. And in the wake of Deablo’s postgame call-up, Las Vegas snapped four straight wins after that loss to the Chiefs to force them into the playoffs, the Raiders’ only postseason appearance since 2002.
Yes, the Raiders defense in general, LB Corps in particular, could use that kind of leadership and motivation.
“There were things [Deablo] He’s been working for the last year—communications and leadership—the athletic ability is there,” Graham said. He learned how to be a midfielder in this league. The beauty of it is having Antonio Pearce in his room as his coach, and he’s one of the best players to ever do that, in my opinion. And he knows how to do it at championship level. I mean, he just gets it.”
Las Vegas signed veteran Robert Spillane to a five-year free agency contract from the Pittsburgh Steelers and drafted Amari Burney in the sixth round from Florida while Darren Butler and Luke Masterson returned and re-signed Curtis Bolton.
Not exactly Ted Hendrix, Matt Millen, and Rod Martin, but it’s what Deablo and the Raiders have to work with as they close down the OTAs and prepare for training camp at the end of July. It’s all with Deablo, who finished 11th in the league with 9.25 tackles per game, wearing a certain badge of honor after studying the play of standouts like Fred Warner and Shaquille Leonard while he was rehabbing.
“[I am] More confident than I was last year,” Diplo said. Last year, I was the new kid on the block. I was nervous. It was my first year in [Graham’s] System. Now, I am more comfortable. I’ve been doing this for a while, so yeah, I’m ready.
“Honestly, it makes me proud because when I was younger, I played quarterback. So being the green point now is like a quarterback on defense, so it puts a smile on my face.”