Oakland Raiders: Top 20 Draft Picks In Franchise History

Sep 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) stands in the team huddle before taking a snap against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) stands in the team huddle before taking a snap against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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#14:  Jack Tatum (19th overall, 1971)

Jack Tatum
Jack Tatum /

To this day, Oakland Raiders fans argue that it shouldn’t even be a debate that safety Jack Tatum was and remains the most feared hitter in the history of the National Football League.  Indeed the wealth of highlights showing him almost decapitating receivers and knocking them cold is proof positive they might have a case.  After all, he didn’t get the nickname of the “Assassin” by accident.  The man had a gift for turning the middle of the field into No Man’s Land for ball carriers.

This belies how good of a player he actually was.  Tatum was a three-time Pro Bowler during the height of the Raiders’ dominance in the 1970s.  In that time he collected 32 interceptions.  After trading him to Houston, he offered a glimpse of just how underrated he was by playing his last season as a pro for the Oilers and breaking his personal record with an addition seven interceptions, bringing the tally to 39.  If not for the head-hunting reputation he cultivated in Oakland, he might be in the Hall of Fame where he belongs.

Next: #13