Countdown to 2020: Best Raiders player to wear No. 66 all-time
By Brad Weiss
Countdown to 2020: Best Raiders player to wear No. 66 all-time
Gabe Jackson (2014-present)
The 2014 NFL Draft class was a special one for the Oakland Raiders, as they added a defensive stud in Khalil Mack in the first round. In the second round, the team would go on to add franchise quarterback Derek Carr, who is entering his seventh season as the starter, and has set numerous passing records.
Also in that 2014 class was a guard named Gabe Jackson out of Mississippi State, who would go on to be named a starter as a rookie, and has never looked back. A constant at right guard for the Raiders since that 2014 season, Jackson has rounded himself into a potential Pro Bowl talent, and the hope is that he can stay healthy heading into the 2020 campaign.
There was a time this offseason that many believed Jackson would not return to the Raiders, as they could get out from his plus-$9 million salary without a cap hit. Instead, they brought him back, and going into the first season in Las Vegas, the Raiders have their entire offensive line in tact from 2019.
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Staying healthy will be the name of the game for Jackson this season, as he had proven he can be an absolute monster when he is right. The Raiders invested heavily on protecting Carr entering Year 7, and Jackson is a big reason why the offensive line is ranked as one of the best in football.