Raiders 2014 NFL Draft class rated their best in the last 20 years

Generational talent at edge rusher

With that No. 5 overall pick, the Raiders added an edge rusher from a small school, picking Khalil Mack from the University of Buffalo. Mack racked up 100 tackles and over ten sacks during his last season at Buffalo, and when the Raiders selected him at 5, he became the highest-drafted player in program history.

Mack made an immediate impact, and while he finished third in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting according to the AP, ESPN did name him their ROY. The following season, Mack would make his first Pro Bowl, before winning the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016.

While the Raiders would end up shipping Mack in his prime to the Chicago Bears once Jon Gruden returned, you have to say this is one of the better draft picks this team has had in quite some time. Mack will one day be enshrined in the Hall of Fame, and it is just a shame that his tenure in the Silver and Black was so short.

Derek Carr becomes the franchise quarterback

With their second round pick, the Raiders added Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr, who was supposed to come in and backup Matt Schaub as a rookie. However, Carr came in and took over as the leader of the offense, earning the starting spot over the summer, and he has not relinquished that title since.

While many in Raider Nation are split on Carr, the fact is, he has been very productive under center, becoming the franchise’s all-time leading passer. The wins have not been there, but with stability in the coaching staff, and better talent around him, the hope is that he can have the same kind of season he had back in 2016, where he led the team to an 11-4 record before breaking his leg on Christmas Eve.

The best of the rest in 2014

Gabe Jackson is still the team’s right guard, and has steadily gotten better each season. While many believed he would be released this offseason due to his high salary cap number, the Raiders guaranteed that money on Monday, which means the team’s starting offensive line in 2019 is back for another go-around.

T.J. Carrie and Shelby Harris are both still very solid players, although for other teams, and Harris is actually coming off of his best year as a pro. In addition, Justin Ellis is currently a starter on a very good Baltimore Ravens defense, so overall, the Raiders front office brought in some dynamic, and long-lasting players in this class.

Over the past two years, Mike Mayock has put together two solid draft classes, including this past April, where he brought in players expected to continue to build this roster into being a perennial playoff team.

Of course, looking back, while the haul was great at draft night, and through a couple of seasons, the fact that only Carr and Jackson remain shows how much upheaval the organization has gone through. It is tough to say who actually won the Mack trade, but entering the 2020 campaign, Carr and Jackson are as valuable to the team as they ever were.