Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best first-round picks all-time
By John Buhler
player. 28. . Cornerback. Michigan Wolverines, 1998. Charles Woodson. 2
Best first-round draft picks in Raiders history: 2. Charles Woodson
A rule of thumb: if the Raiders draft a former Heisman Trophy winner in the first round, he’s probably going to end up being an outstanding professional football player. Okay, that be a little over the top, but Marcus Allen, Tim Brown and Charles Woodson were all incredible during their time in the Silver and Black.
The Raiders would use the No. 4 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft to select the Heisman Trophy winning defensive back out of Michigan. Woodson would beat out Ryan Leaf, Peyton Manning and Randy Moss to win that illustrious Heisman. He remains the only primary defensive player to ever do so.
Woodson spent 11 of his 18 NFL seasons in two stints with the Raiders. He would make four straight Pro Bowls right out of the gate for the Raiders. Midway through his career, Woodson would sign a massive contract extension with the Green Bay Packers. There, he would make four more trips to the Pro Bowl, make two of his three All-Pro teams and win his only Lombardi Trophy with the 2010 Packers.
Woodson would return to Oakland in 2013 to close out his NFL career. In his final year in the NFL, Woodson would make his ninth Pro Bowl appearance as a 39-year-old safety. Woodson is certainly Canton bound. He will be eligible for enshrinement in 2021, likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer.