Raiders Draft Picks: Where are they now? (Reggie McKenzie Edition)

2016

Karl Joseph (1st/14th Overall)

Joseph put together a nice NFL career for himself, playing four years for the Raiders and one each for the Browns and Steelers. He recorded an interception in five of his six seasons and finished his career playing in 65 games. He was a member of the All-Rookie team in 2016, but injuries plagued his career as he never played all 16 games in a season. He has not played since 2022.

Jihad Ward (2nd/44th Overall)

Jihad Ward is the best player in this draft class. He currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings, his sixth different NFL team. He has played 102 games in his career, starting 35, and has recorded 18 sacks and 59 QB hits. His two best seasons of his career came in the past two years for the New York Giants, so it appears that he still has a little gas in the tank for Year 9. 

Shilique Calhoun (3rd/75th Overall)

While Calhoun never became a starter in the NFL, he squeezed out 51 game appearances in five seasons with both the Raiders and Patriots. His best season came in 2020 where he forced two fumbles and had two sacks for New England but was placed on injured reserve late in the season and has not appeared in an NFL game since. 

Connor Cook (4th/100th Overall)

Due to injuries, Connor Cook started the Raiders' lone playoff game during the 2016 season as a rookie, going 18-45 for 161 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions. This was the last time he appeared in an NFL game. He jumped around practice squads for years and eventually landed in the XFL where he was the second overall pick for the Houston Roughnecks. He lost the QB battle to P.J. Walker, the XFL shut down, and Cook has not played an organized football game since. 

DeAndre Washington (5th/143rd Overall)

For a fifth-round running back, Washington put together a great career. He spent five years in the NFL, four of them with the Oakland Raiders, and collected nearly 1,800 all-purpose yards to go with eight touchdowns. He was never the featured back but was a great compliment to our starting backs and a constant in the rotation for years. He last played in 2020 for the Dolphins after a mid-season trade from the Chiefs. He has not played in an NFL game since. 

Cory James (6th/194th Overall)

Cory James started 14 games for the Raiders in his first two seasons, appearing in 26 games. He collected 104 tackles, including nine for a loss, and forced two fumbles in his tenure. However, after being placed on injured reserve, he was waived in 2018 after failing a physical and never played in the NFL again. He played for the Calgary Stampeders for a season in the CFL but was released in 2021. 

Vadal Alexander (7th/234th Overall)

Alexander played two years in the NFL, both for the Oakland Raiders. He played in 24 games, starting nine, but was waived in 2018 after being handed a suspension for PED violations and neglecting to show up to training camp. He was a 22nd-round selection in the USFL in 2022 and is currently playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the XFL. 

Takeaways: This is one of those drafts that gave the Raiders a bad name. Joseph was a solid player, but not what one would expect from someone drafted so highly. When your best player is either a journeyman defensive end with 18 career sacks or a third-down running back with eight career touchdowns, the entire class gets an F grade.