The Raiders franchise had an unbelievable wealth of draft capital heading into the 2019 NFL Draft, and we revisit that class here.
With the NFL Draft on the horizon, the Raiders will not have much to do on day one. After the Davante Adams trade, Las Vegas doesn’t pick until the third round. So, let’s revisit a year in which they had three first-round selections to see how that turned out.
Back in 2019, the Raiders were in a much different spot than they are now. Fresh off of a 4-12 season, the Silver and Black were one of the worst teams in the NFL. In what was Jon Gruden’s first season since returning, the team was nearly unidentifiable from the one he inherited.
First, he traded away one of the league’s best players in Khalil Mack. Refusing to pay him what he had earned, he sent him to Chicago for a haul of draft picks that included two first-rounders. Next, they traded star wide receiver Amari Cooper mid-season to the Cowboys for another selection in the first round.
The 2019 NFL Draft was star-studded, namely along the defensive line where players such as Nick Bosa, Quinnen Williams, and Josh Allen were all present. Number one overall pick Kyler Murray took the headlines, however. Selecting with the fourth, 24th, and 27th picks in the first round, the Raiders had the chance to give their franchise a facelift. This is what they came away with.