We’ve now moved inside the top ten in our ranking of the current players on the Raiders roster. In some ways this could be the most controversial because there is probably some consensus on who the top five players are on this team, but who rounds out the top ten is probably less decided.
Even still, this is how I see the back portion of the top ten stacking up.
See the 11-15 ranked players here.
10. CB Nate Hobbs
After an outstanding rookie season, Hobbs took a bit of a step back in his second season. That wasn’t entirely his fault, though. In fact, it was his immense talent that had the new staff moving him around, thus making his job a lot harder than it had been. It’s for that reason I still see him as a top ten player on this team.
9. QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Say what you will about Jimmy G, but it’s hard to discount a guy who has played in three NFC Championship games and the Super Bowl in the past four years. Yeah, Garoppolo has had his injury issues. And, yeah, he’s been lucky to play on some great overall teams in San Francisco. Which means he still has a lot to prove before anyone thinks he is the long term answer at QB for this team.
8. WR Hunter Renfrow
After an injury plagued season and talk of the Raiders considering moving him in a trade, many people seem to have forgotten just how good Renfrow is. This time last year, he had just signed a two-year extension and, he and Davante Adams were both considered among the best route-runners in the league. And remember ‘Third-and-Renfrow’? Yeah, that was a real thing. He is still one of the best slot receivers in the league.
7. WR Jakobi Meyers
Meyers once carried the unwanted reputation for having many catches but no touchdowns. He shook that off last season and scored six touchdowns. Even prior to his abilities to find the end zone, he was averaging 800 yards per season the past three years. Though he plays a lot in the slot, he carries inside/outside versatility. Which means should the Raiders hand onto Renfrow, Meyers could start on the outside.
6. P AJ Cole
Yeah, a punter. A two-time Pro Bowl and one-time All Pro punter. Cole averaged 50 yards per punt in 2021 and came within a yard per punt of doing it again last season. Speaking of last season, he had ONE touchback on 59 punts. That’s absurd.
