There is no question that that Las Vegas Raiders are among the most historic franchises in NFL history.
Some of the best players of all time have heard their name called by the Raiders. Franchise legends like Charles Woodson, Marcus Allen and Tim Brown have gone on to dominate the league at various points, often with the Silver and Black. The success the Raiders once had in the draft played a part in their three Super Bowl victories.
However, with the lack of success in recent years has come a significant downturn in the team’s draft luck.
The Raiders are considered one of the worst-drafting teams of the last decade.
According to a study by Betway, the Raiders grade out as 31st out of all 32 NFL teams in finding talent through the draft over the last ten years, with only the Green Bay Packers performing worse.
While the study steers clear of major busts like JaMarcus Russell and just barely misses on the 2014 draft class of Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, the results paint a disturbing picture of how the Raiders’ recent struggles in the draft have coincided with their on-field issues.
2015 was alright for the Raiders, drafting five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper with the fourth overall pick. Unfortunately, the next two years were almost completely washed out, as no player has truly made an impact with the Raiders or in the NFL. 2017 was particularly bad, as none of their top three selections (cornerback Gareon Conley, safety Obi Melifonwu and defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes) lasted longer than three seasons in the league.
2018 and 2019 were at least somewhat better, with the Raiders drafting serious contributors. For 2018, despite having no Pro Bowlers in the class, offensive tackle Kolton Miller and edge rusher Arden Key are both steady NFL contributors. 2019 went even better because, despite missing on two of their three first-round picks with edge rusher Clelin Ferrell and safety Johnathan Abram, they did hit on running back Josh Jacobs, and also landed edge rusher Maxx Crosby and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow on Day Three.
Unfortunately, the next two years saw another significant downturn. 2020 was headlined by wide receiver Henry Ruggs and cornerback Damon Arnette, both of whom were gone before the end of their second seasons. 2021, despite landing contributors such as safety Tre’Von Moehrig, is mostly known for the massive reach on offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood.
2022 was a wash due to the Raiders trading their first and second-round picks that year for Davante Adams, and it is still too early to judge the 2023 and 2024 classes properly. The latter looks good, however, with tight end Brock Bowers being a revelation in his rookie season. Regardless, the Raiders need for that to become the rule, not the exception, if they want to turn their fortunes around.
The Raiders are hoping head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek can be the ones to finally get their drafting in the right direction again.
