Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders first round picks since 2010

Ranking the Las Vegas Raiders first-round picks since 2010

11. Gareon Conley: 2017 – 24th overall, Ohio State

After a great 2016 season that ended in disappointment, the Raiders were picking in the bottom of the first round for the first time in over a decade since they took Fabian Washington 23rd overall in 2005. Unfortunately for the Raiders, the selection of Gareon Conley was actually worse than the Washington selection where they famously passed over Aaron Rodgers who went 24th overall.

Conley was dogged by sexual assault allegations leading up to the draft but after a polygraph test, the Raiders went ahead with the pick. He missed the majority of his rookie season with a shin injury but returned for a strong second year where he recorded 3 interceptions in 14 starts.

In his third year, however, Jon Gruden chose to trade him to the Houston Texans for a third-round pick as the Raiders entered full rebuilding mode. Conley spent just the rest of the 2019 season with the Texans and has not been active in the NFL since then.

The fact that he was not released because of attitude issues or off-field concerns and the Raiders recouping a third-round pick for him is what keeps Gareon Conley from being the first name on this list. His selection stings just a bit more than usual however because the Raiders could have found their shutdown corner in All-Pro Tre’Davious White who went just two picks later.