Raiders select a franchise quarterback in 2004 NFL re-draft

With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NFL re-draft, the Oakland Raiders selected a franchise quarterback in Eli Manning from Ole Miss.

With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, a draft known for the legendary quarterbacks it produced, the then-Oakland Raiders selected Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery. Heading into that draft, the Raiders appeared set at quarterback, as Rich Gannon was still the team’s starter, and they had a solid backup plan in Kerry Collins.

So, instead of dipping into a talented quarterback pool, the Silver and Black decided on Gallery, who was widely considered a can’t-miss prospect at offensive tackle. In hindsight, the pick was just another in a long line of first rounders who set the organization back, as the quarterback class in 2004 has accounted for four Super Bowl titles.

Two of those titles were won by Ben Roethlisberger from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and another two were from Eli Manning, who went No. 1 overall in the 2004 NFL Draft. Recently, Brad Gagnon from Bleacher Report re-drafted the 2004 draft, and it was Big Ben who landed at No. 1 overall.

Raiders select Eli Manning from Ole Miss

Holding the No. 2 overall pick, the Raiders decide to pass on Gallery, and instead selected a skinny quarterback from Ole Miss named Eli Manning. The son of a legendary quarterback, Archie Manning, and the brother of one of the best to ever do it, Peyton Manning, there was obviously a lot of hype surrounding Manning entering the draft.

In addition, Manning showed during his time at Ole Miss that he was a clutch player, and had what it took  to succeed at the NFL level. During his NFL career, Manning proved that on the biggest of stages, twice upsetting Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

What could have been

For the Raiders, Manning could have entered a perfect spot to start his career, as the team did have Gannon, and he could have learned from his tireless work ethic. Had Gannon not hurt his neck in 2004, there is no telling what the Raiders could have done, as they were 2-1 at the time, and things really went haywire once Collins took over.

Since this draft, the Raiders have made one playoff appearance, and Manning not only has two rings, but he was an iron-man, barely missing any starts during his NFL career. In contrast, the Raiders have had 18 different starting quarterbacks since Robert Gallery was selected at No. 2, so imagine what kind of stability Manning could have brought to the quarterback position in Oakland.

In a weird twist, Manning’s 13-year and 210 straight start streak ended against the Raiders, when New York Giants then-head coach Ben McAdoo inexplicably decided to start Geno Smith instead. The move essentially ended McAdoo’s tenure as the team’s head coach, and led to a 24-17 victory for the Raiders.

Of course, Manning was actually drafted by the San Diego Chargers, but had no intention of playing there, as he and his family wanted to go to New York. Maybe he would have pulled the same trick had the Raiders selected him, but if he did land in Oakland at No. 2, and spent his career with the Raiders, a fourth ring for the organization could have certainly been in the cards.