Silver And Black Pride
Inspired by a recent episode of the NFL Stock Exchange podcast, where hosts Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers ranked the best and worst picks in the last 10 NFL drafts for the entire league, I wanted to conduct a similar exercise that focuses on the Las Vegas Raiders. So, while we have some downtime before training camp, let’s dive into the Raiders’ best and worst draft picks since moving to Las Vegas in 2020.
We’ll skip the most recent, 2026 class, since those guys haven’t played in a game yet.
Best pick: CB Amik Robertson (4th Round, 139th overall)
The organization got off to a rough start in its new city, as the Silver and Black’s best pick from its inaugural draft class in Vegas was the last player it selected. Robertson never blossomed into a full-time starter with the Raiders, but he did prove to be a good depth piece and spot starter. He notched four interceptions and 15 PDs during his last two seasons with the club, providing inside-outside versatility at cornerback. The Louisiana Tech product spent the last two years in a similar role with the Detroit Lions and has a chance to be a regular first-stringer with the Washington Commanders in 2026.
Worst pick: CB Damon Arnette (1st Round, 19th overall)
There were plenty of options here, as Tanner Muse was taken in the third round and never played a regular-season snap for the Raiders. Then, there’s the elephant in the room with Henry Ruggs III. Obviously, the situation with Ruggs was worse, and it certainly wasn’t easy deciding between him and Arnette. But, if we’re looking at it from the perspective of what they contributed on the field, the team at least was getting good production from the wide receiver. Meanwhile, the cornerback played poorly and hardly saw the field in year two before off-the-field issues led to his dismissal. Albeit, much less severe than Ruggs driving drunk and killing someone.
Best pick: CB Nate Hobbs (5th Round, 167th overall)
This class produced a handful of decent players in Las Vegas, as Tre’von Moehrig and Malcolm Koonce were also considered for the best pick. The deciding factor comes down to value, and getting 38 starts over four seasons is a great return on a mid-fifth-round pick. Hobbs proved to be a good nickelback for the Raiders, making quality tackles for short gains in both phases of the game. After a year with the Green Bay Packers, where they tried to make him an outside cornerback, the Illinois product looks to provide stability to the San Francisco 49ers’ nickelback position this season.
Worst pick: OT Alex Leatherwood (1st Round, 17th overall)
This one is easy, as Sikkema and Rogers brought it up (but went in a different direction) as an option for the worst pick in the entire draft. While Leatherwood started 17 games as a rookie, that felt like John Gruden forcing the first-round pick onto the field to...
