Power ranking each of the past 20 Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders first-round picks
By Brad Weiss
Power ranking each of the past 20 Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders first-round picks
- No. 18. Rolando McClain: 8th overall, 2010 NFL Draft
The Raiders selected Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and the expectation was that he would be a leader on their defense for years to come. McClain was a unanimous All-American during his time with the Crimson Tide, leading them to a BCS National Championship.
However, his exploits at the NFL level were far less impressive, as he lasted only three seasons with the Raiders, showing immense talent, but a lack of discipline. He was a tackling machine, finishing second on the team as both a rookie and in his second season, but by 2012, his antics were too much for the franchise, and he was let go in April.
- No. 17. Alex Leatherwood: 17th overall, 2021 NFL Draft
The final first-round pick of the Mike Mayock-Jon Gruden Era, Alex Leatherwood was a head-scratching selection when he was taken No. 17 overall back in 2021. One of the more penalized offensive linemen in the country for the Alabama Crimson Tide, Leatherwood was considered a Day 2 pick by many draft experts, but that did not stop the Raiders from reaching for him in the first round.
Leatherwood would last only one season with the Raiders, starting the season as the starting offensive tackle, but then getting moved inside. The move did not work, and when the new regime came in, they decided to part ways with Leatherwood, a player who was selected before Christian Darrisaw, who has become one of the best young offensive tackles in the NFL.