2 days ago
Raiders represented in all 7 rounds of ESPN best NFL draft pick ever at every slot
Thursday ESPN put together the ultimate offseason exercise. They listed the best pick at every draft slot in NFL history. And despite the Raiders' recent overall difficulties in landing top draft talent, they were well-represented up and down this draft, landing a player, or multiple players, in basically every round.
Round 1
Pick 29 - G Steve Wisniewski (1989)
Technically, the Cowboys selected Wisniewski here. But he was immediately traded to the Raiders, so for all intents and purposes, they traded the pick and it was made by the Raiders. At the time this was the first pick of the second round, but for the past 30 years, this would be a first round pick, so it is pit against other first round picks. That counts.
Round 2
Pick 52 - QB Ken Stabler (1968)
The first, and still the best, Raiders QB to ever strap on a silver dome.
Round 3
Pick 80 - T Art Shell (1968)
The greatest tackle in Raiders history and one of the greatest in NFL history was a third round pick. And in the same draft as they got Ken Stabler a round earlier.
Pick 98 - WR Cliff Branch (1972)
This is borderline a fourth round pick. But with the advent of comp picks, this sneaks into the bottom of the third. And at the time, it was near the bottom of the fourth. The three-time Super bowl champion speed demon and Hall of Famer. At the bottom of the fourth. Sheeeyit.
Round 4
Pick 104 - DE Maxx Crosby (2019)
Crosby is no legend. He's still on the team. Still in his prime. And already the best to ever be picked in his draft slot.
Pick 110 - DE Greg Townsend (1983)
The man Crosby is chasing in the Raiders record books.
Round 5
Pick 142 - P Shane Lechler (2000)
Statistically speaking the greatest punter to ever play the game. And the one with the best chance to be the second punter inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After Raiders legend Ray Guy.
Pick 166 - DT La'Roi Glover (1996)
Some may hardly remember Glover being a Raider. That's because he appeared in just two games for the Raiders and made his career elsewhere, heading to sis Pro Bowls with the Saints and Cowboys. The Raiders get credit for drafting him, but not for giving up on him so quickly.
Round 6
Pick 181 - LB Greg Biekert (1993)
Biekert was the man in the middle for nearly a solid decade, never missing a game.
Pick 183 - RB Bo Jackson (1987)
A man so nice, he was drafted twice. The year prior he was the first overall pick by the Bucs. But he wanted to play baseball as well, so he was drafted again the following year. This time in the seventh round. The Raiders didn't mind that he played two sports.
Round 7
Pick 190 - S George Atkinson (1968)
Yes, the same draft as the Raiders landed Ken Stabler and Art Shell. Talk about a franchise setting draft. It may be cheating a bit to put this pick as a seventh rounder because, these days pick 190 would be in the sixth round. But at the time, not only was it a seventh round pick, it was a late seventh rounder. Besides, these slots don't include all the players who were drafted after pick 262 and surely the Raiders would have a few of those as well.
