The 2015 NFL Draft is mere days away, which means it's time to turn back the clock and take a look at the selections which helped make the Oakland Raiders the historically relevant franchise they are today. Here's our list of The 5 Best Draft Picks In Oakland Raiders History.
5. Gene Upshaw (#17 in 1967)
Upshaw was the first player in NFL history to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame after playing guard exclusively during his career. Upshaw was a consistent force during his 15-year career, making 207 consecutive regular-season starts before finally missing a game in 1981 (his last year in the NFL).
4. Fred Biletnikoff (1965 AFL Draft)
One of the greatest wide receivers of the AFL era, the 1988 inductee into the Hall of Fame finished his career with the fourth-most receptions in AFL/NFL history (589). Biletnikoff joins our #3 entrant as the standard-bearers for Oakland Raiders wide receiving glory
3. Tim Brown (#6 overall in 1988)
Brown's laundry list of accomplishments is mind-boggling. Here's a list of the franchise records he still holds to this day:
Games (240) and seasons (16) played
Touchdowns (104)
Receiving (14,734 yards, 1,070 receptions, 99 touchdowns)
Punt return (3,272 punt-return yards, 320 punt returns, 3 punt returns for touchdowns)
All-purpose yards (19,431)
Yards from scrimmage (14,924)
He sometimes gets lost in the shuffle when it comes to Raider greats, but the 2015 Hall of Fame inductee's resume speaks for itself.
2. Art Shell (#80 in 1968)
Shell was the anchor of the Oakland Raiders' offensive line during one of the franchise's most successful periods. In fact, the Raiders only had one losing season during Shell's Hall of Fame career while bringing home the Lombardi Trophy twice (Super Bowl XI, XV).
1. Jim Otto (1960 AFL Draft)
Otto played his entire 15-year career with the Silver and Black, becoming the only all-AFL center in its history. He earned that distinction from 1960-69, absolutely trucking opposing defenders while functioning as the backbone of the Raiders' offense. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 as one of the most decorated and feared offensive linemen in professional football history.
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