The 10 most underrated players in Las Vegas Raiders history
By Brad Weiss
7. Underrated Raiders: Napoleon Kaufman, Running Back
With the No. 18 overall pick in the 1995 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders selected a dominating running back from Washington named Napoleon Kaufman. The Pac-10’s Offensive Player of the Year made a quick impact with the team, scoring a touchdown in his first game with the Raiders, and would go on to become one of the more feared backs in team history.
Averaging nearly five yards per carry, Kaufman had his best season as a pro as a 24-year old in 1997, when he rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and six touchdowns. In Week 8 of that season, Kaufman lit up the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, breaking Bo Jackson’s single-game rushing record with 227 yards.
The fourth-leading rusher in team history still, Kaufman’s production over his six seasons with the team has been hard to match for other backs entering the organization. Despite his production, Kaufman never earned a spot on a Pro Bowl roster and was never an All-Pro, but he certainly left his mark on the Raiders organization.