The Las Vegas Raiders improved a lot this offseason, and their new-look roster is headlined by quarterback Geno Smith. Finally, the team has a legitimate solution under center, as well as an experienced head coach in Pete Carroll.
However, there was a time that this was not the case for the organization. After Rich Gannon retired in 2004, it wasn't until a decade later when the Oakland Raiders drafted Derek Carr that the team had a consistent starter for more than two years.
During that brutal decade for the Silver and Black, however, dual-threat quarterback Terrelle Pryor captivated fans and provided a glimmer of hope. His route to Oakland, however, was far from easy, and he was one of the last players of a certain dying breed in the NFL.
NFL announces there will be no Supplemental Draft this summer
Coming out of college, Pryor was declared ineligible for the 2011 NFL Draft after being suspended for an investigation that found he had been accepting improper benefits while playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a result, he entered his name into August's Supplemental Draft.
Oakland made him the sole pick of the 2011 Supplemental Draft, which also means that Pryor was the last draft pick by legendary owner Al Davis before his passing just two months later. The opportunity for players like Pryor to earn this chance, however, is slowly evaporating.
On Friday, The Athletic's Dane Brugler reported that the NFL would not host a supplemental draft this summer. This marks the second-straight year that the league has cancelled the draft, and no players have been taken in the event since 2019.
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Since Pryor's selection in 2011, in fact, only five players have been chosen, including former Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon. The Supplemental Draft has also brought the NFL great players like Cris Carter, Bernie Kosar, Jamal Williams and Ahmad Brooks.
While Pryor was far from a star for the Silver and Black during his three-year stint with the team, he provided several great moments for the Raiders. Fans, at least, will never forget his 93-yard touchdown run on the opening play against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 8 of the 2013 season.
The Supplemental Draft rarely churns out strong NFL players, but most of these prospects deserve a second chance. Terrelle Pryor was an encapsulation of that, but the league will sorely miss out on players of his kind if they continue to shut down this pipeline.