Here is what an all-time Oakland Raiders 53-man roster would look like
By Brad Weiss
Running Backs
Marcus Allen, Bo Jackson, Mark van Eeghen, Pete Banaszak
In the history of the NFL, few running backs did as much as former Raiders tailback Marcus Allen. A Heisman winner at USC, Allen was a first round pick of the Raiders back in 1982, and he certainly put his stamp on the franchise over the next 11 seasons.
Allen was a five-time Pro Bowler for the Raiders, earning First Team All-Pro honors twice. In addition, he was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XVIII, where he led the Raiders to a 38-9 victory over the Washington Redskins. In that game, Allen finished with 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Alongside Allen on this all-time 53-man roster is a man who is one of the more intriguing Raiders of all time. When Bo Jackson had the football in his hands, anything could happen, as he was the best blend of speed and power the NFL has ever seen. While his career was cut short due to a hip injury suffered against the Cincinnati Bengals in the playoffs, his status in Raiders history is set in stone.
Mark van Eeghen is a guy who back in the 1970s and early 1980s, was the cream of the crop when it came to fullbacks. Coming out of Colgate, van Eeghen established himself as one of the best rushers in Raiders history, winning two Super Bowls, and when he left the Raiders in 1982, he was the franchise’s all-time leading rusher.
Rounding out the backfield is Pete Banaszak, who played his entire professional football career wearing the Silver and Black. Both an AFL and Super Bowl champion, “Rooster” led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns back in 1975, which is still the team record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season.