Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best draft-day steals of all-time

Although the legendary Charles Woodson is one of the Raiders’ best first-round picks of all-time, he should still be considered a draft-day steal.

Yes, I am aware that Woodson is the only defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. Yes, I am aware that Woodson was a consensus top-5 pick. The only reason he fell to No. 4 overall was that Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf went No. 1 and No. 2 overall respectively and the Arizona Cardinals selected Andre Wadsworth over Woodson instead.

Regardless, Woodson’s value to the franchise over the years outweighs the fact that he was the No. 4 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Coming out of Michigan, expectations were high for the young cornerback. Meeting the expectations was easy for Woodson, exceeding them was seemingly easier. With every game, Woodson got a little better and cemented his legacy in Raider Nation.

In 154 career games with the Raiders, Woodson started in 151 of them, including all 48 of the games he played in his second stint with the team at the age of 37. Not only was Woodson’s first stay with the franchise incredible, but he also came back and helped lay the foundation for the new era of Raiders football.

A legend of the gridiron, Woodson is one of the best to ever play the sport. His passion and skill combined to create a star. Although his accolades will never match his talent, Woodson will undeniably be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. Anyone that can say that is easily a draft-day steal.