Raiders' Draft History by the Numbers

A look at the Silver and Black's draft history, including Hall of Famers, most and least picks, and top college programs represented.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 11:00pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in the style of Pablo Picasso, using sharp planes of silver, black, and other bold colors to abstractly represent the Raiders' draft statistics and history without any text or identifiable elements.A cubist interpretation of the Raiders' storied draft history, highlighting their ability to find talent across colleges and draft positions over the decades.Las Vegas Today

The Las Vegas Raiders have a rich draft history, having selected 587 players from 198 different colleges since the common draft era began in 1967. The team has produced 12 Hall of Famers through the draft, including Cliff Branch who was a fourth-round pick in 1972 when the Raiders made a franchise-high 20 selections. In contrast, the Raiders have had just 5 picks in a draft on two occasions, in 2022 and 2008. USC has produced the most Raiders draft picks with 17, followed by Nebraska and UCLA with 14 each.

Why it matters

The draft is a critical part of building a successful NFL franchise, and the Raiders' history shows their ability to find talent across a variety of colleges and draft positions over the decades. Understanding their past draft tendencies and successes provides insight into how the team may approach the upcoming 2026 draft as they look to continue building a championship contender.

The details

The Raiders have had a remarkable draft history, highlighted by 12 Hall of Famers selected since 1967. Their most ever picks in a single draft was 20 in 1972, while they've had just 5 picks twice - in 2022 and 2008. USC has produced the most Raiders draft selections with 17, followed by Nebraska and UCLA with 14 each. The team's past picks at their current 2026 draft slots are also detailed on the Raiders' website.

  • The common draft era began in 1967.
  • The Raiders made 20 selections in the 1972 draft, which consisted of 17 rounds and 442 total picks.
  • The Raiders have had just 5 picks in a draft on two occasions - in 2022 and 2008.

The players

Cliff Branch

A Hall of Famer who was selected by the Raiders in the fourth round (No. 98 overall) of the 1972 draft.

USC

The college program that has produced the most Raiders draft picks with 17 since 1967.

Nebraska

The college program that has produced the second-most Raiders draft picks with 14 since 1967.

UCLA

The college program that has produced the third-most Raiders draft picks with 14 since 1967.

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The takeaway

The Raiders' draft history showcases their ability to find talent across a variety of colleges and draft positions over the decades, producing 12 Hall of Famers. Understanding their past tendencies provides insight into how they may approach the upcoming 2026 draft as they look to continue building a championship contender.