Raiders Need Telesco's Draft History to Translate Over

Las Vegas Raiders General Manager Tom Telesco had great success in the NFL Draft during his days with the Los Angeles Chargers.

While Las Vegas Raiders General Manager Tom Telesco had only a few playoff teams during his 10 seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, he was widely respected for the draft classes he was able to put together.

Now, Telesco has the pressure of making some statements in the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Raiders have quite a few positions that need to be addressed. 

If his history of drafting for the Chargers is any indication of how the Raiders perform in this year's draft, they could take a monumental step in the right direction.

Telesco's most recent home run was 2021 first-round pick Rashawn Slater, who immediately started at left tackle for the Chargers. He started all 16 games he appeared in during his rookie season and was selected to the Pro Bowl. 

The following season, Slater tore his left biceps tendon in Week 3, which had him miss the remainder of 2022. He came back last season to start in all 17 of Los Angeles' games.

One of Telesco's more notable additions in the draft was the 2021 first-round pick, quarterback Justin Herbert. After being named offensive rookie of the year, 

Herbert turned heads the very next season when he led the Chargers to their first winning record since the 2018 season with a Pro-Bowl campaign. He finished second in the league in total passing yards with 5,014, and passing yards per game at 294.9.

Herbert and Tom Brady were the only two quarterbacks to surpass the 5,000-yard passing mark that season. The following season, Herbert would again finish second in total passing yards with 4,739 as he led the Chargers to the postseason.

Telesco also hit the lottery with 2018 first-round pick Derwin James, who immediately became one of the top safeties in the league. He was named an Associated Press All-Pro First-Team honoree as a rookie and was also selected to the first of his three Pro Bowls.

In the previous draft, Telesco and the Chargers got a steal with 2017 fifth-round pick cornerback Desmond King, who in only his second year, was selected to the AP All-Pro First Team.

Telesco's list also includes four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Joey Bosa, two-time Pro-Bowl running back Melvin Gordon, and two former Pro Bowlers, linebacker Denzel Perryman, and cornerback Jason Verrett. 

Perhaps Telesco's greatest achievement in the draft, though, was taking wide receiver Keenan Allen in his first year as the Chargers' GM. Allen has since become one of the league's best wideouts and has made six trips to the Pro Bowl.

From February 27 to March 4, 2024, the NFL Scouting Combine will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.

The NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Mich., on April 25-27, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the No. 13 overall pick.

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