We begin our countdown of the bottom 5 Oakland Raiders draft picks since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 with a dishonorable mentions list (our honorable mentions to the best 5 picks went up this morning)… and our Bottom 5 countdown of the Raiders' worst draft picks in that time frame begins Tuesday.
Bottom Raiders Draft Picks Since 1970 (dishonorable mention)
QB Marc Wilson (BYU, No. 15 overall in 1980)
Who else was available? WR Art Monk, LB Otis Wilson, RB Joe Cribbs
Wilson, who lost a ‘Worst Quarterback in Los Angeles' popular vote contest to the Rams' Dieter Brock in 1985, was one of the most unpopular players, let alone signal callers, in franchise history.
QB Todd Marinovich (USC, No. 24 overall in 1991)
Who else was available? QB Brett Favre, RB Ricky Watters, CB Aeneas Williams
Personal demons doomed RoboQB, who saw himself as a Snake Stabler clone. He seemed to be the perfect Raider, but drug issues prematurely ended his NFL career after going 3-6 as the L.A. Raiders starter.
SS Patrick Bates (Texas A&M, No. 12 overall in 1993)
Who else was available? LT Brad Hopkins, DT Dana Stubblefield, DE Michael Strahan
Started just nine games and had but one interception over two seasons with the Raiders and quit the team just before the 1995 season opener for the re-born Oakland Raiders, never to don the Silver and Black again.
CB Phillip Buchanon (Miami, No. 17 overall in 2002)
Who else was available? FS Ed Reed, CB Lito Sheppard, S Michael Lewis
Sure, “Showtime” had 11 interceptions and added three TDs as a return man in three years, but his inconsistency in the secondary forced the Raiders' hand in giving up on him relatively early.
LT Robert Gallery (Iowa, No. 2 overall in 2004)
Who was available? WR Larry Fitzgerald, QB Philip Rivers, QB Ben Roethlisberger
OK, so, Gallery did have a solid little run as a left guard, but his draft slot demanded so much more. He was seen as a can't-miss left tackle around whom to build a line. Instead, he became a cautionary tale.
