Oakland Raiders: 5 Of The Greatest Receivers In Team History

May 8, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders receiver Milton Williams III(17) catches a pass at rookie minicamp at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

For the Oakland Raiders, the future is now. With a roster loaded with young stars in the making like Khalil Mack and Derek Carr, among others, the Raiders are a team most definitely trending upward. And of course, with this year’s first round selection, Amari Cooper, the Raiders’ offense – more specifically, the Raiders’ passing game – looks like it’s going to be electric.

Oakland’s passing game has been, for the most part, utterly dreadful for the last decade plus. The last time the Raiders had a fearsome passing attack was when Rich Gannon was under center throwing the ball to the likes of Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, and Jerry Porter.

But this season, with Carr slinging it to Michael Crabtree, Rod Streater, and the rookie, Cooper, Oakland’s passing attack looks like it is going to be incredibly potent – with Cooper potentially being the best of the bunch.

The Raiders have a history that is rich with receiving talent. While Fred Biletnikoff and Tim Brown are the only two Hall of Famers, Oakland has had a number of others worthy of induction. While the Raiders’ past is filled with some of football’s greatest names, Amari Cooper seems to represent Oakland’s future.

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Will he be the next greatest Raiders’ receiver?

Cooper has all the talent in the world, and the conditions seem to be right. He’s got a young quarterback who is accurate, has a terrific arm, and loves to throw the ball – somebody he can grow with, develop with, and ultimately dominate with.

With Cooper catching balls from Carr, the future does seem to be bright indeed.

But to fully appreciate the future, it’s always best to appreciate the past. In that vein, let’s take a look at five of the greatest receivers in Raiders history.

Next: Honorable Mentions