Las Vegas Raiders: 15 best first-round picks all-time
By John Buhler
28. . Cornerback. California Golden Bears, 2003. Nnamdi Asomugha. 12. player
Best first-round draft picks in Raiders history: 12. Nnamdi Asomugha
Before he joined the 2011 Dream Team Philadelphia Eagles with the likes of Vince Young, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha was an elite cornerback in the NFL with the Raiders. He was the No. 31 player taking in the 2003 NFL Draft out of nearby Cal.
Though the Raiders would not make the AFC Playoffs in his eight years with the Silver and Black, Asomugha was arguably the most skilled player for the Raiders at the time. He made three straight Pro Bowls from 2008 to 2010 and was an All-Pro in those first two years.
Asomugha was 100 percent a shutdown corner in his prime. It didn’t matter who the opposition would put up against him, Asomugha wasn’t going to let his guy get the best of him. Though his final three NFL seasons with the Eagles (2011-12) and the San Francisco 49ers (2013), Asomugha’s time with the Raiders was much appreciated.
Though he’s not quite a Hall of Fame talent, Asomugha retired with 356 tackles, 80 passes defended, 51 assists and 15 interceptions. While his prime was only about three years long, there was a time that Asomugha was the best cover corner in football. Just a great pick at No. 31 in the first round overall, exactly the type of player you’d hope for at the end of Day 1 of the draft.