In 2016, the Oakland Raiders drafted Karl Joseph, a safety from West Virginia with the 14th pick of the first round in the NFL Draft. Joseph, who had earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, and was West Virginia’s Defensive Player of the Year, was the highest rated safety in the 2016 draft.
NFL Network draft analyst and now Raiders General Manager, Mike Mayock said this of Karl Joseph after the draft, “With his range, toughness and ability to drop down in the slot and cover man, he’s like a poor man’s Earl Thomas.