Regrading the Oakland Raiders' Past 5 Drafts

The NFL draft is a week away and it’s fitting we look back at the Oakland Raiders' mixed history of draft day successes and failures.

The draft is where teams either build or destroy their franchises—sometimes for the short-term and in other cases for the long-term. Recently, the Raiders have taken leaps toward rejuvenation, but some significant missteps at the beginning of the decade have slowed the progress during Reggie McKenzie’s tenure as general manager.

This assessment isn’t to blame all the Raiders' woes on the late Al Davis, who served as his own GM, but there’s a clear difference between the pre- and the post-Davis era in Oakland.

The last five drafts were graded based on the following criteria:

-Were early round selections immediate impact players?

-How well did the franchise draft in the mid-to-late rounds?

-What is the current role of all the prospects originally drafted by Raiders?

The table below shows a cumulative tally of the last 41 players drafted by Oakland in the past five years. 

Oakland Raiders Draft Prospects from 2010-14

Starters: 17

Reserves: 18

Inactives: 6

Subsequently, we’ll dive into each draft year and dissect the pitfalls and gems that help or hurt the franchise.

2010 Draft Class

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

Year	Round	Player	Overall Pick	Position	NFL Role
2010	1	Rolando McClain	8	LB	Starter
2010	2	Lamarr Houston	44	DE	Starter
2010	3	Jared Veldheer	69	T	Starter
2010	4	Bruce Campbell	106	T	Inactive Since 2013
2010	4	Jacoby Ford	108	WR	Inactive Since 2013
2010	5	Walter McFadden	138	DB	Inactive Since 2012
2010	6	Travis Goethel	190	LB	Inactive Since 2012
2010	7	Jeremy Ware	215	DB	Inactive Since 2010
2010	7	Stevie Brown	251	DB	Starter

The 2010 draft started off strong, but it lacked players needed for depth and it also featured a late sleeper pick that flourished after leaving Oakland.

The Raiders selected three starting-caliber players at the top of this draft: Rolando McClain, Lamarr Houston and Jared Veldheer.

McClain’s tenure in Oakland was a huge disappointment.

According to NFL.com writer Marc Sessler, he wanted out of Oakland during a poor 2012 season:

"

Officially no longer an Oakland Raider!!" McClain wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday.

That flaming arrow sat in space for a few seconds before McClain clarified: "Well technically I am," he wrote. "But I'm mentally done. Just waiting on my papers.

Then: "It's out of my hands right now.

Then: "I'm gonna weigh my options. Looking forward to playing for an actual 'team.'

Then: "I'd like to be anywhere besides here.

"

The Raiders' 2010 first-round pick is a solid player, but he didn’t want to play for Oakland. In fact, he proved to be a solid player after coming back from an early retirement, per ESPN’s Seth Wickersham. Apparently, three seasons with an awful Raiders team can drive a player to rethink his life and find peace.

According to NFL.com writer Gregg Rosenthal, McClain returned to the league and signed with the Dallas Cowboys, taking claim to the starting position. He was ranked top-10 among inside linebackers, per ProFootballFocus.

Many would say McClain was a horrible pick, but he could have been an asset in the middle of the Raiders’ defense, but clashes with the organization ruined his potential.

Right pick. Wrong franchise.

Both Houston and Veldheer are also NFL starters. Houston is an average player, but he’s an upgrade over what the Raiders had on the field at defensive end in 2014—minus the goofy celebration resulting in an ACL tear, per Rosenthal.

Veldheer suffered a similar fate to Stefen Wisniewski. He played two solid years with the Raiders but struggled in a contract year due to torn triceps, per Sports Illustrated writer Chris Burke.

Oakland decided to move on, and the former third-round pick played a spectacular season, ranked ninth among all starting tackles with the Arizona Cardinals.

As the table above shows, the five picks following Veldheer are all currently inactive.

Former seventh-round pick Stevie Brown is an enigma. He was dormant in the first two years of his career and exploded onto the NFL scene with eight interceptions in the 2012 season. He didn’t play a down in 2013 due to injury and followed with a quiet 2014 contract year.

Impact free safeties aren’t plentiful in the NFL. He still has a legitimate chance at landing a starting job in the offseason. Brown has the ability to make an impact, but Oakland drafted him as a raw talent who wasn’t ready to contribute.

Overall, 2010 was a decent draft year headlined with starting-caliber players, but it’s unfortunate none of those players flourished while wearing silver and black. You can blame that on the coaching staff but not on the scouts or Davis’ judgment.

Grade: B

2011 Draft Class

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Year	Round	Player	Overall Pick	Position	NFL Role
2011	2	Stefen Wisniewski	48	OL	Starter
2011	3	DeMarcus Van Dyke	81	DB	Reserve
2011	3	Joe Barksdale	92	OL	Starter
2011	4	Chimdi Chekwa	113	DB	Reserve
2011	4	Taiwan Jones	125	RB	Reserve
2011	5	Denarius Moore	148	WR	Starter
2011	6	Richard Gordon	181	TE	Reserve
2011	7	David Ausberry	241	WR	Reserve

The 2011 draft class was Davis’ last group of hand-picked prospects.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick for Richard Seymour in an effort to immediately improve the defensive line.

A couple of the players drafted were solid starters for Oakland, but no one in particular moved the needle for the franchise in terms of roster cornerstones.

Wisniewski was an immediate starter. He struggled in his rookie year, but played well in back-to-back seasons before a subpar contract year in 2014. He was ultimately replaced by Rodney Hudson but served two productive years in a Raiders uniform.

Third-round pick Joe Barksdale didn’t become a consistent starter until he arrived in St. Louis. Barksdale wasn't as productive as Veldheer after leaving Oakland, but he remains a starting tackle for the Rams.

Denarius Moore was a fifth-round pick who panned out as the Raiders’ most impactful player starting in 35 out of 48 games for Oakland. He peeked at 741 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2012 as a solid No. 2 receiving option.

Unfortunately for Moore, an injury, the emergence of Rod Streater and the presence of James Jones put a cap on his upside.

According to NFL.com’s Dan Hanzus, Moore signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in the offseason.

Only two out of eight prospects are considered to be legitimate starting NFL talents of the 2011 draftees. The other selections have been nothing more than an ornament on an NFL sideline. This draft class provided less than average production and lacked consistent productivity.

Grade: D

2012 Draft Class

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Year	Round	Player	Overall Pick	Position	NFL Role
2012	3	Tony Bergstrom	95	OL	Reserve
2012	4	Miles Burris	129	LB	Starter
2012	5	Jack Crawford	158	DE	Reserve
2012	5	Juron Criner	168	WR	Reserve
2012	6	Christo Bilukidi	189	DE	Reserve
2012	7	Nathan Stupar	230	LB	Reserve

The Raiders followed the trend of giving up high draft picks for established NFL talent.

The 2012 draft would inevitably be uneventful for the Raiders.

In 2011, the front office traded a first- and second-round pick for former Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, who opted to retire rather than play another season with Cincinnati.

Adding to the uncertainty of the franchise, a new voice was behind the draft selections. Former director of football operations for the Green Bay Packers, McKenzie, would assume the position as the architect for the franchise.

This draft required tremendous scouting research on mid-to-late-round talent without a first or second-round pick.

Tony Bergstrom was McKenzie’s first draft pick for the Raiders. He’s a third-round pick who only started one game in seasons for the Silver and Black.

The following selection, Miles Burris, played significant time outside of his natural position at ILB. Burris was moved to outside linebacker, where he has played poorly. The Raiders needed the help due to Nick Roach’s extended absence with lingering concussion symptoms, per ProFootball Talk writer Curtis Crabtree.

The rest of the draft prospects have been reserve players.

McKenzie shouldn’t get the blame for a poor 2012 draft class, but none of the prospects have produced anything worth mentioning. We won’t know what Burris could have been at OLB with Khalil Mack and Sio Moore firmly in those positions.

This draft class will still receive a failing grade, but much of it due to the gamble on Palmer as opposed to poor drafting on McKenzie’s behalf.

Grade: F

2013 Draft Class

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Year	Round	Player	Overall Pick	Position	NFL Role
2013	1	D.J. Hayden	12	CB	Starter
2013	2	Menelik Watson	42	OL	Reserve
2013	3	Sio Moore	66	LB	Starter
2013	4	Tyler Wilson	112	QB	Inactive Since 2013
2013	6	Nick Kasa	172	TE	Reserve
2013	6	Latavius Murray	181	RB	Starter
2013	6	Mychal Rivera	184	TE	Starter
2013	6	Stacy McGee	205	DT	Reserve
2013	7	Brice Butler	209	WR	Reserve
2013	7	David Bass	233	DE	Reserve

In 2013, McKenzie was able to work with a full deck of draft picks. At this point, it was his time to take the wheel and steer the franchise in the right direction.

He started with a head scratcher.

The Raiders opted to trade back in an exchange with the Miami Dolphins. Oakland dropped from No. 3 to the No. 12 overall pick and also acquired another second-round pick, per SBnation.com writer James Dator.

The incoming 2013 draft class wasn’t loaded with talent, by any stretch of the imagination. The first two overall picks were tackles, Eric Fisher and Luke Joeckel, respectively. However, the Raiders essentially passed on Lane Johnson and Ezekiel Ansah who were the No. 4 and No. 5 overall picks. In their sophomore years, both are established impact players.

The Raiders decided to draft D.J. Hayden who at this point is still a question mark as to whether he’s a consistent starter in the league. Sheldon Richardson, Star Lotulelei and Kenny Vaccaro were all drafted in subsequent order after Hayden and all have been established as starting NFL talents in their first two years.

Yes, Hayden started off slow due to a major injury and he was the feel-good story on draft night, but can the coaching staff trust him to stay healthy and lead the secondary for a full season? It’s still inconclusive.

Menelik Watson became the second pick acquired from the Dolphins. He started nine games in 2014 and was replaced by Khalif Barnes midseason.

Moore at OLB saves this draft class in terms of potential. He will continue to start as long as he remains healthy. 

McKenzie did a good job at finding starters in the sixth round. Both Latavius Murray and Mychal Rivera had an impact in their sophomore seasons. However, longevity is in jeopardy for both players.

The Raiders signed running backs Trent Richardson and Roy Helu. This signifies a RB attack by committee, which caps Murray’s upside. His small sample of production opened eyes but may not have opened enough doors to take hold of the starting position. Right now, he has the edge on the starting position as the only RB on the roster from the previous season.

The Raiders also showed interest in Jermaine Gresham, who may still be a target, pending the progress of his recovery from a herniated disc, per NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling.

Seventh-round pick Brice Butler made minimal contributions, but he’s no more than a No. 4 or No. 5 receiving option on the Raiders roster behind Rod Streater, James Jones, Michael Crabtree and likely a high draft pick on a WR.

Last year’s draft picks are still too early to call as good, bad or decent picks. The verdict on Hayden becomes clear this season as the featured cornerback of the secondary.

To McKenzie’s credit, late-round picks Murray and Rivera have the ability to further progress into solid starters, but will they have the opportunity with new free agents coming into the fold?

This draft class has yet to produce a solid starter with the exception of Moore. Nonetheless, Hayden, Murray and Rivera still have a chance to make solid contributions in 2015.

Grade: C+

2014 Draft Class

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Year	Round	Player	Overall Pick	Position	NFL Role
2014	1	Khalil Mack	5	LB	Starter
2014	2	Derek Carr	36	QB	Starter
2014	3	Gabe Jackson	81	OL	Starter
2014	4	Justin Ellis	107	DT	Starter
2014	4	Keith McGill	116	DB	Reserve
2014	4	Travis Carrie	219	DB	Starter
2014	7	Shelby Harris	235	DE	Reserve
2014	7	Jonathan Dowling	247	DB	Reserve

The most recent draft class has by far been the most impactful in the last five years.

McKenzie successfully drafted the cornerstone and future leader of the defense in Mack. He also potentially found the franchise QB in Derek Carr as a second-round pick.

Furthermore, McKenzie was able to draft a tough interior lineman who can help open lanes for the rushing attack in former third-round pick Gabe Jackson. He also addressed the trenches with gap-filling nose tackle Justin Ellis.

Finally, seventh-round gem Travis Carrie could be a solid starter in the league based on his limited productivity in the secondary in 2014.

The Raiders drafted five prospects that started immediately and played well despite beginning the season on an 10-game losing streak. Oakland finished the season 3-3 in the final six games, which is a small but positive sign of what’s to come.

This draft class should be a turning point for Oakland in the right direction. Now with players to build around, it’s time to fill in the gaps.

Grade: A

McKenzie likes to use non-powerhouse school prospects as his talent farm, with Mack (Buffalo), Carr (Fresno State), Moore (Connecticut) and Hayden (Houston) as prime examples. It also proves he’s willing to take a chance and trust his scouting team's in-depth assessment.

Raiders fans should hope the 2015 draft class resembles the 2014 prospects, as opposed to the 2013 group that’s still a mystery.

However, this year’s draft should be a win-win situation. It’s possible both Leonard Williams and Amari Cooper remain on the board when Oakland is on the clock. Either prospect will set the tone for an exceptional draft class.

Oakland would ruin this draft process by trading out of the fourth spot. 

Williams and Cooper are considered two of the most polished and readily capable prospects to contribute in the entire draft class. Oakland should come away with one of these transcendent players.

What do you think of the Oakland Raiders' draft history? Do you trust Reggie McKenzie? Do you think Oakland is trending in the right direction? Tweet your thoughts to Maurice’s twitter. All opinions on the Raiders' draft history are welcome.

Advanced statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com and Profootballfocus.com.

Draft class order and details provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com.