Oakland Raiders: Top 20 Draft Picks In Franchise History

#9:  Lester Hayes (126th overall, 1977)

Few teams were as good as the Oakland Raiders at finding star cornerbacks.  Willie Brown was their greatest success throughout most of the 1970s but then in 1977 they brought in a young man out of Texas A&M named Lester Hayes.  First impressions would’ve made one think the 5th round pick was a lost cause as he suffered from a stuttering speech impediment and was somewhat shy.  Soon though quarterbacks became wary of sending the ball in his direction as it was often liable to be intercepted.

Nicknamed “the Judge” during his time with the team, Hayes had 24 interceptions in a three-year span at one point, including a record 13 in 1980 that helped Oakland win its second Super Bowl title.  A five-time Pro Bowler, he overcame so many odds to become one of the most underrated corners in league history.  Playing first with Brown and then with another Hall of Famer in Mike Haynes can do that.  Even so, to snag 39 career interceptions in just 10 seasons is worthy of more praise than he receives.

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