10 greatest Oakland Raiders of all time

OAKLAND, : Al Davis, the owner of the Oakland Raiders, smiles as he faces reporters and photographers after a press conference at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Arena 06 July. Davis has signed an agreement to move the Los Angeles Raiders back to Oakland, California, after leaving 14 years ago. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read JOHN G. MABANGLO/AFP/Getty Images) /

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OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 21: Cliff Branch #21 of the Oakland Raiders scores a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the 1974 AFC Divisional Playoff game at Oakland Alameda Coliseum on December 21, 1974 in Oakland, California. The Raiders defeated the Dolphins 28-26. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images) /

8. Cliff Branch, WR

He was one of the best big-play performers from the wide receiver spot and also came up extremely large in the postseason, which the Raiders were usually a part of. Mercurial Cliff Branch is one of those names you often hear when it comes to players who have not yet been enshrined in Canton, Ohio. And perhaps one day the fleet-footed performer will get his due. There is that fabled sign in the Oakland Coliseum that says “Speed Kills” and Branch was the impetus for that.

Consider the numbers with a focus on his yards per reception. In 14 seasons with the Raiders, the 1972 fourth-round pick from the University of Colorado hauled in 501 passes for 8,685 yards and 67 touchdowns. That’s an imposing 17.3 yards per grab. He was putting up big numbers before the league opted for its role changes at 1978 and frustrated some of the greatest defensive backs in the game

Of course, there were also 22 playoff contests, including Super Bowls XI, XV and XVIII. Branch pulled down 73 passes for 1,289 yards and five scores. And again, the yards per catch (17.7) are notable and three of his five postseason touchdown grabs came on Super Sunday. Al Davis loved the vertical game and no player in the team’s history epitomized it more.

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