Grading the Las Vegas Raiders last 5 top-10 draft picks

Grading the Las Vegas Raiders last 5 top-10 draft picks

2010: Rolando McClain, Alabama, 8th Overall

The Raiders franchise was longing for elite talent on the defensive side of the ball when they selected Rolando McClain from the University of Alabama with the No. 8 overall pick in 2010. McClain was fresh off being an All-American for the Crimson Tide, and a BCS National Championship winner when the Raiders came calling in the top 10.

At first, McClain played well enough to warrant his draft status, racking up nearly 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons with the team. However, things started to go downhill in a hurry during his third season, as he had issues on and off the field, saw his playing time diminished, and basically acted and played his way out of town.

McClain was released by the Raiders in April of 2013, this after a string of off-the-field incidents. He would sign with the Baltimore Ravens, but quickly announced his retirement, sitting out the 2013 season completely. The Dallas Cowboys traded for him during the 2014 NFL season, and incredibly, one of the draft picks the Ravens got from the Cowboys was used to select Darren Waller.

During his three seasons with the Raiders, McClain flashed some signs of greatness, but in the end, was nowhere close to being a top-10 draft talent in the Silver and Black.

Grade: F