The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 17 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and they have struck gold in that slot before, so they will try to do it again.
The Las Vegas Raiders have had multiple first-round picks over the last two NFL Drafts, as they have tried to bolster the roster with young talent by trading away star players for draft picks. While the jury is out on a lot of the talent brought in, the hope is that with their only first-rounder in 2021, the No. 17 overall pick, they can shore up at least one of the glaring holes on their roster.
The last time the Raiders picked at No. 17 overall was back in 2002 when they held two first-round picks. That year, the Silver and Black selected defensive back Phillip Buchanon out of Miami (FL), and he would play in six games as a rookie for a Raiders team that finished their season with a loss in the Super Bowl.
Buchanon would become a starter for the Raiders after that season, playing in 30 of the team’s 32 games in 2003 and 2004, before being traded to the Houston Texans. In three seasons in Oakland, Buchanon nabbed 11 interceptions.
While Buchanon had some moments in the Silver and Black, the other two men picked at No. 17 overall made a forever-impact on the franchise.