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Countdown to 2020: Best Raiders player to wear No. 68 all-time

By Brad Weiss

LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 9: Defensive end Simon Fletcher #73 of the Denver Broncos tries to beat tackle Bruce Wilkerson #68 of the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1993 AFC Wild Card Game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 9, 1994 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 42-24. (Photo by Rob Brown/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - JANUARY 9: Defensive end Simon Fletcher #73 of the Denver Broncos tries to beat tackle Bruce Wilkerson #68 of the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1993 AFC Wild Card Game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 9, 1994 in Los Angeles, California. The Raiders defeated the Broncos 42-24. (Photo by Rob Brown/Getty Images) /
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With 68 days until the opening game of 2020, we start the count down with the best Raiders player at every jersey number. Today we focus on No. 68.

With the season a few months away, we take a look at the best player to wear the jersey number of the number of days left before the opener on September 13, 2020 against the Carolina Panthers. That game will kick off the new era of Raiders football.

We continue our series with No. 68.

Andre James is the current Raiders player wearing the No. 68, taking over for David Sharpe, who  moved to jersey No. 72 for the 2019 season. James appeared in 12 games for the Raiders last season, starting one time in place of All-Pro center Rodney Hudson.

The No. 68 is an interesting one in Raiders history, as it has not been worn by an all-time legendary player at any time, but our pick certainly had his moments in the Silver and Black.

Bruce Wilkerson (1987-1994)

The Los Angeles Raiders made Tennessee offensive tackle Bruce Wilkerson the 52nd overall pick in the 1987 NFL Draft, and he would go on to become a key along an offensive line that improved the Raiders fortunes in the early 1990s. Wilkerson was an All-SEC player for the Volunteers, and his first season with the team would prove to be Tom Flores‘ last as head coach.

In 1988, the team brought in Art Shell to be their offensive line coach, and who better to learn technique from than No. 78 himself. Shell would eventually become Wilkerson’s head coach, leading the team to the playoffs following the 1990 and 1991 NFL seasons.

During his time with Los Angeles, Wilkerson appeared in 107 games, making 89 starts. He played all over the offensive line, spending time at right guard, right tackle, and even left tackle.

Next. Las Vegas Raiders: 5 best defensive tackles taken in the NFL Draft. dark

Wilkerson’s crowing achievement came outside of the Silver and Black, as he was a starter on a Green Bay Packers team that won the Super Bowl. Still, he had a solid run with the Raiders, proving to be a very versatile, and productive offensive lineman across eight seasons.

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