Oakland Raiders Mount Rushmore by position group
By Brad Weiss
Cornerback: Charles Woodson, Willie Brown, Lester Hayes, Mike Haynes
While the secondary has struggled in recent years, that was not always the case, as the Raiders have had some of the best cornerbacks in NFL history. Here are the four that represent our Mount Rushmore.
Charles Woodson
After a Heisman Trophy winning career at the University of Michigan, Charles Woodson was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Woodson had a blazing start to his career as a Raiders, going to the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons. The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Woodson would leave for Green Bay, before coming back and making another Pro Bowl as a Safety.
Willie Brown
Willie Brown was traded to the Raiders in 1967, and from then on, he became one of the more important figures in team history. Brown was the team captain for 10 of his 12 seasons in the Silver and Black, and helped the team to a championship as a player. His interception of Fran Tarkenton in Super Bowl XI is one of the most memorable plays in the history of the big game, and he was done playing, he helped coach the team to two more rings.
Lester Hayes
No matter what you called him, the Judge or Lester the Molester, Lester Hayes was as dominant a cornerback as the NFL has ever seen. A two-time Super Bowl champion, Hayes was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year back in 1980, and teamed with Mike Haynes to form one of the best cornerback duos in NFL history. His bump and run coverage is legendary, as was his use of stickum, as he was as consistent as there ever was at his position.
Mike Haynes
The other half of the Hayes-Haynes cornerback tandem, Mike Haynes came to the Raiders in 1983 in a settlement with the New England Patriots. He was able to play the final five regular season games for the team that season, helping them to a Super Bowl title. A three-time Pro Bowler with the Raiders, Haynes is one of the greatest players in the history of the NFL, and is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.