To say the Raiders have had a checkered draft history over the last decade might be an understatement. The team hasn’t had much success in Round 1 and has struggled to find quality players consistently.
However, the Raiders did hit a major homerun during the 2019 NFL Draft, gambling on a small-school EDGE rusher from Eastern Michigan.
In a recent article by ESPN, they listed their top 50 draft steals over the last decade. Maxx Crosby made the list after falling to the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Here is why ESPN believes Crosby is one of the biggest draft day values in recent memory:
Crosby had just one offer to play college football out of high school and signed with Eastern Michigan, where he was a two-time first-team All-MAC performer.
A one-game suspension in college, a frame that scouts thought lacked power and a missing suddenness element to his game caused Crosby to slip to the fourth round, but he turned in a 10-sack debut season as a rookie and has been among the most productive ends in the league since the Raiders turned in his card.
Crosby came in at No. 27 on the list, but you can make a strong case that he should be much higher. He’s firmly established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league and has now made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons.
While Crosby has only played four years in the NFL, it won’t be a surprise if he goes down as one of the biggest draft steals in franchise history for the Raiders. That’s just how good he’s been so far during his professional career.
