Ranking The 2016 Oakland Raiders 53-man Roster: 10 to 1

Ranking the 2016 Oakland Raiders 53-man roster, from the worst to best player that was on the active roster at the end of the season. Part 5.

We conclude our series of ranking the Oakland Raiders 2016 roster, from best to worst.

Part one included ranks 53 to 41, and can be viewed by clicking here.

Part two included ranks 40 to 31, and can be viewed by clicking here.

Part three included ranks 30 to 21, and can be viewed by clicking here.

Part four included ranks 20 to 11, and can be viewed by clicking here.

Let’s jump right into it.

10. Latavius Murray

Going into the last year of his rookie contract, Latavius Murray was going to need to have a big 2016 season in order to warrant another contract.

Murray went on to have his best season as a pro, racking up 788 yards and 12 touchdowns. Instead of being used a bell-cow like he was used in 2015, Murray was used sparingly, and when given the opportunity, he was quite effective.

Latavius showed the NFL what he was capable of on Sunday Night Football, picking up 109 yards and 3 touchdowns against one of the best defenses in the league, the Denver Broncos.

Latavius is currently testing the free agent market, and the expectation is that he’ll sign elsewhere.

9. Bruce Irvin

After spending the first four years of his career in Seattle, Bruce Irvin was looking for a new opportunity, and he found that with the Raiders.

Once Irvin was officially a Raider, he immediately began recruiting other free agent prospects, and as a result, he became an instant fan-favorite in Oakland, donning the nickname “Baby Reggie”.

When the season began, Bruce showcased both his pass-rushing ability as well as his knack for forcing turnovers. On the season, Irvin had 57 tackles, 7 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles. But where Irvin’s most valuable quality lied cannot not be measured by statistics.

Bruce was the perfect complement to Khalil Mack. With Bruce asking as the sidekcik, Mack had another monster season, and it helped vault him to be named the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year.

8. Michael Crabtree

After signing with the Raiders in 2015, Michael Crabtree has had arguably the best two seasons of his career.

In 2016, Crabtree had 89 receptions for 1,003 yards, and also led the Raiders with 8 receiving touchdowns. Where Crab excelled the most were with his catches in clutch situations, such as his two-point conversion in New Orleans, and his two huge receptions late in the game against the Panthers.

However, drops were a theme for the entire Raiders receiving core, most notably Crabtree. This is an area most would like to see Crab improve in for 2017. Regardless, he has morphed into one of the better no. 2 receivers in the NFL, and I would expect him to have an even better 2017 season.

7. Gabe Jackson

When Kelechi Osemele signed to the Raiders, Gabe Jackson was the one who was going to need to transition to a new position. After playing left guard in his first two years in the league, Jackson was now going to be slotted into the right guard position.

There was definitely going to be a transitional period, and it showed in the first half of the season. After struggling out of the gates, Gabe finished the season very strong, and was a valuable piece on one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.

Jackson has somewhat become the forgotten guy of this group, but anyone who has watched this team knows that he brings physicality to the line, and without him, maybe the Raiders don’t have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.

Keeping Gabe Jackson for the long-term should be a priority, as he is one of the foundation pieces on this team.

6. Amari Cooper

On pure talent alone, Amari Cooper might be the most talented player on this roster. After a solid rookie season, Coop followed up his sophomore campaign with a slightly better year, but he still leaves something to be desired — at least, according to many in Raider Nation.

For the season, Amari had 83 receptions for 1,153 yards and 5 touchdowns. Not the worst numbers, but also not the greatest. We all have to remember that Amari is only 22, going on 23 years old. He is still very young, and I believe the best is yet to come.

Coop is still one of three receivers to ever record 70+ catches and 1,000+ receiving yards and be selected to back to back Pro Bowl’s in his first two seasons in the league. Amari has also already set a team record with 15 receptions of 25+ yards.

The sky is the limit for this him, and I would expect a more consistent 2017 season out of Amari Cooper.

5. Donald Penn

At 33 years old, Donald Penn had his best season as a pro. Penn was one of the leaders on the entire team, and played a big part in protecting Derek Carr, as he was his blindside protector.

Penn allowed only one single sack for the entire season, and helped balance the Raiders offense in terms of their rushing attack. Along with his above average blocking abilities, Penn also caught a touchdown against his former team in Week 8. It was one of the many highlights that the offensive line provided in 2016.

Although Donald Penn is on the last year of his two-year contract with the Raiders, this was another home-run free agent signing by Reggie McKenzie.

4. Rodney Hudson

Signing Rodney Hudson away from the division rival Chiefs have been one of Reggie McKenzie’s best investments. Hudson just came off of his first Pro Bowl appearance, and it was well deserved.

Not only has Hudson blossomed into one of the best centers in the entire league, but he has also built a great rapport with quarterback Derek Carr. As a result of the great chemistry, the Raiders have turned into one of the league’s most prolific offenses, and it starts up front with Hudson and Carr’s relationship.

Rodney has been known as one of the smarter guys on the team and it shows on Sunday’s, largely thanks to his preparation throughout the week. We all know the Raiders have an elite offensive line, but it would not be anywhere near what it is today if it were not for Rodney Hudson’s contributions this past season.

I would expect the Raiders offensive line to have a repeat performance in 2017, and once again, it is all going to start in the middle with Rodney Hudson.

#3 Kelechi Osemele

Kelechi Osemele is not only the most physical player on this entire roster, but he is also one of the best guards in the entire league.

After Reggie McKenzie stole Osemele away from Baltimore, K.O. was primed and ready to show the entire league why he became the NFL’s highest paid guard. Osemele brought a mean-streak with him to Oakland, and it translated perfectly to the rest of the offensive line.

At the start of every game, Osemele seemed to be the tone setter by either flattening an opposing defender, or rag-dolling a 300 lb. defensive tackle.

Osemele more than proved his worth this past season, and he was rewarded with his first ever first-team All-Pro selection as well as his first Pro Bowl nod. Both accolades were well deserved.

K.O. showed he was the best lineman on this team, and he helped bring back a winning culture to Oakland.

2. Derek Carr

When Derek Carr was drafted in 2014, not many would think that three years later, he would be one of the two players who would change the entire outlook of the Raiders franchise. But D.C. has done just that.

On his way to leading his team to a 12-4 record and their first playoff berth in 14 years, Carr was one of the leaders in the NFL MVP race up until his leg injury in Week 16. To that point, Carr had 28 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 3,937 yards passing, and a completion percentage of 63.8%.

When Carr did go down, it showed how valuable he really was, as the Raiders limped into the playoffs, and were virtually eliminated before the game even started.

Derek’s 81 passing touchdowns ranks as the 4th most by any NFL quarterback through their first four seasons. You can expect Carr to add a whole lot more in 2017 under new offensive coordinator Todd Downing.

1. Khalil Mack

As your #1 player on this entire roster, it should not come as a surprise. Khalil Mack is not only the best player on this roster, but he is arguably one of the ten best players in the entire NFL. Khalil’s 26 sacks over the past two seasons ranks #1 in the NFL.

In 2016, Khalil dominated once again, accumulating 73 tackles, 11 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 1 interception — which he returned for a touchdown, by the way. Mack’s monster season earned him the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

Mack has all-world ability, and it is nice to see that he is being recognized for what he has accomplished thus far in his young career. Like Amari Cooper, I do not believe we have seen the best from Khalil Mack. That is SCARY to think about, considering how great he has been over these past three seasons.

Khalil can also be credited for helping change the losing culture. Both he and Derek Carr made promises to one another that they would be here to get this thing turned around, and they have fulfilled their promise.

In 2017, Khalil Mack will have an encore performance, and once again, show the NFL he is one of the premiere players in this entire league.