Five Raiders still in the running for Hall of Fame recognition

The Hall of Fame is inching closer to gaining even more Las Vegas Raiders representation.

On Thursday, the Hall announced the advancement of 52 Senior candidates into the next round of their voting process.

Through the rest of the season, the list will continue to be narrowed down. It will go down to 25 candidates, then nine, before the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee decides on three finalists for potential Hall of Fame induction.

Among the finalists are five former Raiders, all of whom have interesting cases to finally make it into Canton.

Roger Craig

Craig played only one season with the then-Los Angeles Raiders in 1991, rushing for 590 yards and a touchdown in 15 games.

Craig is most known for his incredible eight-year tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, where he became the premier dual-threat back in the NFL. A three-time Super Bowl champion and four-time Pro Bowler, Craig ran for 8,189 yards and 56 touchdowns in his 11-year career, as well as catching 566 receptions for 4,911 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Lester Hayes

A fifth-round pick of the Raiders in the 1977 NFL Draft, Hayes spent the entirety of his ten-year career between Oakland and Los Angeles.

The veteran cornerback was one of the driving forces of two Super Bowl-winning Raiders teams (XV, XVIII). The five-time Pro Bowler and 1980 Defensive Player of the Year is tied with Willie Brown for the most interceptions in franchise history with 39. Hayes’s 13 interceptions in 1980 are also tied for the second-most in a single season in NFL history.

Albert Lewis

Spending 11 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Lewis finished his career with a five-year run with the Raiders from 1994-98.

During his tenure with the Raiders, Lewis played in 75 games, notching four interceptions and 54 passes defended. While he did play at a high level, Lewis’s tenure with the Chiefs is why he is under consideration. A four-time Pro Bowler, Lewis notched 42 interceptions in his career.

Matt Millen

A second-round pick of the Raiders in 1980, Millen played nine of his 12 NFL seasons with the team.

During his time with the Raiders, Millen recorded 17 sacks, seven interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Similar to Hayes, Millen was part of the Super Bowl XV and XVII winning Raiders teams, and he added another ring with the San Francisco 49ers in 1989.

Art Powell

Powell played four seasons with the Raiders (1963-66), and the receiver made his mark on the team during his tenure.

Powell is the fifth-leading receiver in Raiders history, recording 254 catches for 4,491 yards and 50 touchdowns. He lead the team in receptions for all four seasons with the Raiders, as well as leading the league with 1,304 yards and 16 touchdowns in 1963. Powell is the only receiver in franchise history with multiple 200-yard receiving games.