Raider Nation knows the ballad of JaMarcus Russell.
The highly-touted LSU quarterback was the No. 1 overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2007 Draft, but he never panned out at the professional level. This earned him the label of the biggest bust in NFL history.
Sure, the Raiders passed up on future Hall of Famers Calvin "Megatron" Johnson and Joe Thomas, who went second and third overall in the same draft, but JaMarcus Russell was the right pick.
Don't believe me? Watch his highlights from the 2007 Sugar Bowl and look at where the Raiders quarterback room was a year before.
The trio of Raiders quarterbacks in 2006 -- Andrew Walter, Aaron Brooks, and Marques Tuiasosopo -- combined for seven touchdowns the entire season. They threw 24 interceptions, fumbled the ball 19 times, and were sacked on 72 occasions.
Oakland needed a quarterback, so they went all-in on one with the 1st-overall pick.
I don't fault the Raiders for their selection, and this article is not meant to drag Russell any more than he already has been.
This article serves to point out how scared the Raiders' organization has been to swing big on a quarterback since that 2007 Draft.
They made one mistake nearly two decades ago, and they have not gotten over it. They draft with fear of making a mistake, and it has led the team into a downward spiral.
Here is what's transpired under center for the Raiders since that fateful day.