Built Through the Draft: Oakland Raiders

Oakland Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie has earned his extension!

In 2012, he inherited an average roster that was grossly overpaid and cleaned it out. FB Marcel Reece, RB Taiwan Jones, LS Jon Condo and K Sebastian Janikowski are the handful of players he inherited still on the team. The process wasn’t pretty for the first few years, but a winning roster has been built mainly through the draft.

The picks and head coach Jack Del Rio drew free agents like C Rodney Hudson, OG Kelechi Osemele, OT Austin Howard, NT Danny Williams, CB Sean Smith, OLB Bruce Irvin, and ILB Malcolm Smith, OT Donald Penn, and FS Reggie Nelson. Outside of Penn and Nelson, who are still productive, they’re all in their mid-to-late 20.

The days of over-the-hill players with nothing to offer in Oakland for a final pay-day are over. And after the 2012, which doesn’t count, and the 2013 draft class, McKenzie has drafted very well. The run of busts like DB MIchael Huff, QB Jamarcus Russell RB Darren McFadden, WR Darius Heyward Bey, and ILB Rolando McClain is over.

The Raiders now have youngsters that are soon to be stars and superstars.

Turn the page for a look at them.

Next: 2014: Khalil Mack