The Oakland Raiders have had their fair share of draft misses in the decade. However, they don’t get enough credit for the quality of players they have selected in the last ten years. They have drafted multiple Pro Bowl players including players at the tops of their positions. They have found numerous starters, contributors, and role players at all stages of the draft.
In a recent article by Barry Werner of the Touchdown Wire, he named the best draft pick by each team this decade. For the Raiders, it was none other than Khalil Mack. Take a look at his explanation for the pick:
Khalil Mack is always going to be the one that got away from the Raiders. The fifth overall pick out of Buffalo in 2014 is one of the best linebackers of this or any generation. The Raiders will rue the day they traded him to the Chicago Bears for years to come.
While Mack ultimately didn’t stay in Oakland, that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Raiders got the pick right. In his four year career with Oakland, Mack accumulated 40.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, and one interception as he made the Pro Bowl three times. Mack was arguably the best pick in the entire 2014 draft and is still one of the best defensive players in all of football. Oakland’s front office certainly got this pick right.
