There were not five linebackers in the NFL better than Robert Spillane last season. The former undrafted free agent from the Pittsburgh Steelers was one of the biggest surprises during the 2023 season as he locked down the middle of the defense for the Raiders.
Spillane started all 17 games for the Raiders, recording 148 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. He was outstanding in coverage and made a big play whenever the Raiders needed it. Of the linebackers who played at least 1,000 snaps, Spillane had the ninth-highest grade (77.1), according to Pro Football Focus.
In the recent rankings list complied by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he spoke with dozens of NFL coaches, executives, and decision makers and asked them to rank their top 10 linebackers. 21 linebackers received a vote inside the top 10, but that did not include Spillane.
Spillane doesn’t have the draft capital or elite athleticism that decision-makers love, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t a fantastic linebacker last season. Few players were more productive and consistent in the NFL last season, but Spillane will need to do it again before he starts to really get the attention of the league.
Look for Spillane to have another huge season under Patrick Graham in Las Vegas. The Raiders have done a better job of improving the defensive tackle play up front, which should allow Spillane to be even more active in the middle of the field.
