Oakland Raiders: 5 players who were a pleasant surprise in 2018

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OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 24: Doug Martin #28 of the Oakland Raiders rushes with the ball against the Denver Broncos during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 24, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

The Oakland Raiders struggled through a 4-12 season in 2018, but these five players stood out as pleasant surprises in a tough year.

The Oakland Raiders made a lot of moves to their roster prior to the 2018 NFL season trading away star defensive end Khalil Mack, as well as bringing in a bunch of free agents. During the season, they released Bruce Irvin, and traded away Amari Cooper, finishing the year with a roster that looked a lot different than the one that ended the 2017 season.

Throughout all the ups and downs of the 2018 NFL season, there were a couple of players who really stood out. Even though the team won only four games, they did have some bright spots, including one former first round pick who emerged as a legitimate shutdown cornerback.

Oakland recently hired a new general manager in Mike Mayock, who will be tasked with rebuilding a franchise that has had only one winning season since 2002. Heading into 2019, the Raiders have a ton of draft capital, and a pretty healthy salary cap number, so Mayock has the tools needed to turn this thing around.

Before we turn our eyes to the 2019 campaign, let us take a look back at 2018. Here are five players who were pleasant surprises during the 2018 season for the Raiders.

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