Oakland Raiders Mount Rushmore by position group
By Brad Weiss
Defensive Line: Khalil Mack, Howie Long, Chester McGlockton, Lyle Alzado
To play up front in the NFL, you have to possess a mean streak, and these four men are the top defensive linemen in team history. Here is our Mount Rushmore for the defensive line.
Khalil Mack
The first round pick of the Raiders back in 2014, Khalil Mack has since become the elite defensive player in all of football. A three-time Pro Bowler, Mack was the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, after leading the Silver and Black to a 12-win season. He was recently traded to the Chicago Bears, ending his career with the Raiders, but his legacy with the team will be as one of the most dominant players to ever put on the jersey.
Howie Long
Howie Long was drafted by the Raiders back in 1981 out of Villanova, and carved out quite a career with the organization. He played his entire 13-year career with the team, making five Pro Bowls, and was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 1985. A member of the 1980s All-Decade team, he finished his career with 84 sacks, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Chester McGlockton
There was a time during the 1990s that Chester McGlockton was establishing himself as one of the best defensive linemen in team history. A Pro Bowl player four times, he was an All-Pro in three straight seasons from 1994-96, and registered 32 sacks within a four year span. He bounced around after leaving the Raiders, but his time with the Silver and Black was special.
Lyle Alzado
There are a few men who could have been on our Mount Rushmore in place of Lyle Alzado, but he is here due to the fact his style of play mirrored those nasty Raiders teams of the early 1980s. Alzado helped the Raiders to a victory in Super Bowl XVIII, and was the NFL Comeback Player of Year in 1982. His tenure with the Silver and Black was not long, but it was memorable.