Divine Deablo Wearing the Green Dot in Minicamp
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo has been on a promising trajectory since he came into the league in 2021.
After totaling 45 combined tackles in 15 games his rookie season, Deablo followed the campaign up with 74 combined tackles in only eight games.
Even after going down because of a broken arm in Week 9 of last season to end his second season, Deablo has been recognized as a crucial piece in the Raiders' defense.
On Tuesday, the 24-year-old linebacker wore the green dot and served as the defense's vocal leader in the team's first minicamp practice.
Being vocal wasn't exactly a key trait of Deablo's game in his first two seasons with the team,
"[It] definitely comes with maturity," he said in his post-practice press conference on Tuesday. "Little more confident in my job, knowing what to do and everybody else's job, also. That's something the coaches ask me to do is to just step up and help lead out there on the field."
Although Deablo was a returner last year, learning Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels' system was still an adjustment for the young linebacker.
"[I'm] a lot more confident than I was last year," Deablo said. "Last year I was, you know, new kid on the block. I was nervous [for] my first year in the system. So now, I'm more comfortable. I've been doing it for a while now. So yeah, I'm ready."
While Deablo's promoting role is a new experience for him as a member of the Raiders, being a leader is something he is familiar with.
"Honestly, it makes myself proud because when I was younger, I played quarterback," Deablo said. "So now, being the green dot is like being the quarterback of the defense. So it puts a smile on my face."
Deablo played five seasons at Virginia Tech before the Raiders selected him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft at No. 80 overall.
OTA Offseason workouts: June 12-15
Mandatory Minicamp: June 6-8
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