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2018 Raiders NFL Draft: Top 5 first round draft picks the last ten years

By Jose Sanchez III

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 08: Khalil Mack of the Buffalo Bulls poses with a jersey after he was picked
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 08: Khalil Mack of the Buffalo Bulls poses with a jersey after he was picked /
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OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 03: Running back Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders carries the ball for 5 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter on November 3, 2013 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Eagles won 49-20. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – NOVEMBER 03: Running back Darren McFadden #20 of the Oakland Raiders carries the ball for 5 yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second quarter on November 3, 2013 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Eagles won 49-20. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

3. Darren McFadden, 2008 NFL Draft

Running back Darren McFadden out of the University of Arkansas was a very exciting pick when the Raiders took him fourth overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Nicknamed “Run DMC”, it really was too bad he couldn’t run away from his injuries.

It took him until his last season as a Raider in 2014 to play a full season. McFadden had all the talent and potential in the world, but he just couldn’t beat the number one thing that threatens athletes.

When he was healthy enough, McFadden took off like a jaguar on the hunt. 2010 was his breakout season and the first time he ever surpassed a 1,000 rushing yards.

He was the first Raiders running back to rush for 1,000 yards since workhorse Justin Fargas. He also racked up over 500 receiving yards, so he definitely became a workhorse in his own right. That year has to be the most memorable season of McFadden as a Raider.

The team finally didn’t have a losing season, they swept the AFC West and McFadden led the league with rushes over 20+ yards. It felt like McFadden had finally become the player he was meant to be. That the Raiders had finally turned the corner that season to set them up for the future.

Alas, they would eventually plummet like how we were all used to. McFadden spent seven season with the Raiders, with the 2010 season as the highlight.

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