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Raiders draft countdown: James Jett is best No. 82

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Mark Hebert | Last updated Jan 31, 2026 10:17 AM ET

Eighty-two days remain until the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pa., April 23-25, 2026. After a 3-14 season in 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 overall pick as this daily countdown continues through the franchise’s best players by jersey number.

Today, January 31, the number is 82.

James Jett, No. 82

James Jett is the pick for No. 82 because he brought consistent field-stretching production for a full decade in Silver and Black. From 1993-2002, he became one of the Raiders most reliable deep threats.

Jett played 140 games with 75 starts for the Raiders. He finished with 256 catches for 4,417 yards and 30 touchdowns.

The separator is 17.3 yards per catch over 10 seasons.

Why Jett gets No. 82

That average tells the story of his role and his impact. Jett did not need heavy volume to change games because his catches often came in chunks.

Meanwhile, his longevity matters for this number. Ten seasons with one franchise is hard to top on the No. 82 list.

Happy birthday to former Raiders WR James Jett, December 28, 1970.

*1992 Olympic Gold Medalist for the 4×100 meters relay. pic.twitter.com/moBDnX5vIJ

— AFL Godfather

Image | Source: Dice City Sports
Image | Source: Dice City Sports
Image | Source: Dice City Sports
(@NFLMAVERICK) December 28, 2023

Draft and background

Jett signed with the Los Angeles Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 1993 out of West Virginia. Then he made his mark quickly as a vertical target and stayed productive through multiple Raiders offenses across the 1990s and early 2000s.

Over time, his totals stacked up into a clear No. 82 case.

Other notable No. 82s

Horace Jones, 1971-1975
Charlie Hardy, 1960-1962
Jordy Nelson, 2018
Calvin Muhammad, 1982-1983
Tom Mitchell, 1966
Jan Barrett, 1963-1964
Teyo Johnson, 2003-2004

Career check

Jett’s Raiders resume is clean and complete: 256 catches, 4,417 yards and 30 touchdowns. When you add the 17.3 YPC average, No. 82 belongs to him.

Next up tomorrow: No. 81.

Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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