PFF names Raiders as one of worst teams picking on Day 1 since 2014
When it comes to picking in the first round of the NFL Draft, nobody quite does it worse than the Raiders franchise.
By Brad Weiss
The Tom Telesco era as general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders picking in NFL Drafts will kick off at pick No. 13 this April. Telesco and the Raiders have plenty of holes to fill on their roster, and it will be interesting to see what kind of success the new general manager can have on Day 1.
For the Raiders it has been an absolute nightmare round in recent years, as they pretty much blew five first-round picks in 2019 and 2020 combined. That haul brought back only Josh Jacobs as a contributor for the franchise, and also included the likes of Damon Arnette, Henry Ruggs III, Clelin Ferrell, and Johnathan Abram.
All four of those players did very little for the Raiders, but those were not the only years the team shot themselves in the foot with great draft capital. In 2021, Alex Leatherwood was the surprising pick, and he lasted only one year with the franchise, and we still do not know what to expect from defensive end Tyree Wilson.
Over at Pro Football Focus, they named a few teams that have been the best and worst at picking in the first round since 2014, and it was no surprise where the Raiders landed.
Raiders named a 'worst' first-round drafting team since 2014
Las Vegas started strong in 2015, adding Amari Cooper in the first round, a player who would go on to be a solid wideout in the Silver and Black. However, it was all downhill from there, as Karl Joseph was picked in 2016, and Gareon Conley in 2017.
Kolton Miller was a solid add in 2018, and though he struggled as a rookie, he has become the anchor of the Raiders offensive line. We have already gone through the debacle that has been the first round for the Raiders since 2019, so hopefully, Telesco can change their fortunes this April.
All told, the Raiders, Jaguars, Patriots, and Titans were named the worst teams in the last ten years at picking on Day 1. No big shocker here, but at least it is not only Raider Nation who sees just how bad this franchise has been with prime draft capital since 2014.
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