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. 8. Darrius Heyward-Bey: 7th overall, 2009 NFL Draft
The Raiders under Al Davis were known for their willingness to select players with standout speed, and that was the case for Maryland star wide receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey. Going into the 2009 NFL Draft, many felt that Texas Tech star Michael Crabtree was the better prospect, but Heyward-Bey's speed caught the attention of the Raiders, and they made him the pick at No. 7 overall.
Unfortunately for the Raiders, great speed did not translate to great production for Heyward-Bey, though he did show flashes at times. Heyward-Bey would end up playing four seasons with the Raiders, with his best year coming in 2011, when he had nearly 1,000 receiving yards, and found the end zone four times.
- No. 7. Michael Huff: 7th overall, 2006 NFL Draft
There was no doubt that Michael Huff was going to be a first-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft, this after winning the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's best defensive back in 2005. Huff would be the No. 7 overall pick that April, landing with a Raiders team in desperate need of some star power in their defensive backfield.
Huff had an up-and-down seven-year career with the Raiders, with his best season coming in 2010 when he was named first-team All-Pro. The 2010 season was the best campaign the Raiders had since their Super Bowl run in the early 2000s, and Huff was a big part of it. All told, Huff played in over 100 games for the Raiders, hauling in 11 interceptions.