The Oakland Raiders have been an unmitigated disgrace since their loss to the Tampa Bay Bucs in the 2002 Super Bowl.  So how can a team get so bad?  Well, besides the awful, awful decisions on free agents, they have been dreadful with first-round picks.
Let’s go all the way back to 2000.
-2000:¬† K Sebastian Janikowski.¬† Not a terrible pick.¬† You are taking a kicker in the first round which isn’t always a great idea, but he’s still the kicker in Oakland so he can’t be all bad.
-2001: S Derrick Gibson.¬† He has three INT’s for the Raiders since being drafted.¬† That’s terrible.
-2002: CB Phillip Buchanon.¬† Played three seasons for the Raiders.¬† That’s what you want out of a first-round pick.¬† Had one good year.¬† Money well spent.
-2002: LB Napoleon Harris.  They loved him so much after 2.5 sacks in three years that they threw him into the Randy Moss deal with Minnesota.
-2003: CB Nnamdi Asomugha.¬† Home run.¬† I love Asomugha.¬† How much does his heart ache knowning he’s the best in the business and has no chance to win each week?
-2003: DE Tyler Brayton.  At least they kept him until 2007 before kicking him to the curb.  Six sacks in that time.  Eck.
-2004: T Robert Gallery.¬† Not as big of a whiff as many think.¬† He’s actually been pretty good once they moved him to guard.¬† That said, you don’t draft guards with the #2 overall pick.¬† He’s a turnstile at tackle.
-2005:  CB Fabian Washington.  I know hindsight is 20/20, but would Aaron Rodgers have been a better idea?  They got three years out of Washington, who is now on the Ravens.
-2006: S Michael Huff.¬† Still on the team, but barely.¬† Taken #7 overall, he’s been brutal.¬†
-2007:  QB JaMarcus Russell.  #1 overall.  Do you want my analysis or can I just move on?  Thanks.
-2008:¬† RB Darren McFadden.¬† He’s the next Adrian Peterson.¬† Has to be.¬† Actually, he puts the ball on the carpet all the time and is hurt quite a bit.¬† Maybe too early to tell, but this isn’t looking good.
-2009:¬† WR Darrius Heyward-Bey.¬† Yikes. Yes, it’s very early, but they took him #7-overall (notice many of these picks are very high?¬† There is a reason for that).¬† They took him over Michael Crabtree (who has two less catches than DHB after holding out the whole year), Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, Kenny Britt, Hakeem Nicks….and name anyone else you want.¬† DHB simply can’t catch.¬† Louis Murphy is likely much better and they got him much later.¬†
Take this information and mix it with the signings of guys like Gibril Wilson, DeAngelo Hall (they traded for him before giving him way more money than anyone else would) and Javon Walker and you get the mess that you have now. 
