5 best first-round draft picks in Las Vegas Raiders’ history feat. Marcus Allen  

Barring a trade, the Las Vegas Raiders will select with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, marking their 66th-ever first-round selection.

The Raiders have had several unsuccessful attempts over the past few years, but they have also had some major successes in the first round of the draft, including five players who went on to put together Hall of Fame careers.

Here's a closer look at the top five best first-round draft selections the Raiders have ever made.

Ranking Las Vegas Raiders’ top 5 best first round picks in history

#5. Tim Brown, Wide Receiver

Tim Brown, the 1987 Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame, was selected by the Raiders with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft. During his stint, he became arguably the team's best all-time receiver with 240 games played (198 starts).

Brown's quickness, versatility, as well as capacity to make plays after catching the ball were his strongest suit. Throughout his tenure with the Silver and Black, he registered 1,070 receptions for 14,734 yards and 104 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 50 times for 190 yards and one touchdown, demonstrating his ability to rush the ball when necessary.

Brown was chosen to participate in nine Pro Bowls during his time with the organization. He recorded league-leading numbers in catches in 1997, kickoff returns in 1988, and punt return yards in 1994.

Before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015, Brown played his last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

#4. Jack Tatum, Safety

After being selected by the Oakland Raiders with the No. 19 overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft, Jack Tatum earned a reputation as one of the league's hardest-hitting defensive backs of all time.

Tatum was selected to three straight Pro Bowls, from 1973 to 1975. His hit in a preseason contest that paralyzed New England Patriots wideout Darryl Stingley from the neck down would go down in history as one of the game's most noteworthy events.

Jack Tatum played 120 games over nine years in Oakland, recorded 30 interceptions, recovered eight fumbles, and contributed to the Raiders' 1976 Super Bowl victory.

#3. Ray Guy, Punter

It's unusual for special teamers to be included in lists like this, but Ray Guy was exceptionally good for the Raiders. He is often regarded as the best punter of all time and had a significant role in the team's three Super Bowl victories.

The Raiders drafted Guy with the No. 23 overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft, making him the only pure punter in history to be picked in the first round. Over the course of his 14-season tenure with the franchise, he was selected to seven Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro teams.

#2. Gene Upshaw, Guard

Gene Upshaw spent his entire 15-year career with the Oakland Raiders after being selected No. 17 overall in the 1967 NFL draft. He is the only player in NFL history to play for the same team in three different decades and make it to the Super Bowl in each of those decades.

Upshaw, who stood 6-feet-5 and weighed 265 pounds, started 207 consecutive regular season games while holding the guard position in Oakland for 15 seasons. He won two AFC crowns, one AFL Championship, eight division titles, two World Championships of Professional Football and played in 11 playoff games.

He was chosen for the NFL 1970s All-Decade Team, the All-AFL team twice, the All-Pro team on eight occasions and the Pro Bowl six times. In 1987, the first year he became eligible, Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

#1. Marcus Allen, Running Back

After a stellar collegiate football career with the USC Trojans, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1981, Marcus Allen, often regarded as one of the finest short-yard carriers in NFL history, was taken No. 10 overall by the Raiders in the 1982 NFL draft.

Allen amassed 8,545 rushing yards on 2,090 rushes and 79 touchdowns during his 11 years with the Raiders. In addition, he was an excellent receiver, hauling in 446 passes for 4,258 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Allen was selected to five Pro Bowl teams during his tenure with the Raiders. He also won the Super Bowl XVIII MVP, voted the 1982 NFL Rookie of the Year and 1985 NFL MVP. In 2003, he was admitted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.