Raiders draft countdown: Tim Brown is best No. 81

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Mark Hebert | Last updated Feb 1, 2026 10:24 AM ET

Eighty-one 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, February 1, the number is 81.

Tim Brown, No. 81

Tim Brown is the pick for No. 81 because no Raider at this number touched his combination of production and longevity. He spent 16 seasons with the franchise and became the standard for wide receivers in Silver and Black.

Brown played 240 games for the Raiders and started 198. He finished with 1,070 catches for 14,734 yards and 99 receiving touchdowns.

The separator is 1,070 catches and 14,734 yards as a Raider.

Raiders Hall of Fame Franchise leading WR Tim Brown career tape

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Why Brown gets No. 81

Brown was not just a volume target, he was a weekly answer. He produced through coaching changes and quarterback changes, even before passing numbers exploded leaguewide.

He also added value beyond receiving. Brown scored 100 total touchdowns as a Raider, including a rushing touchdown.

Draft and background

Brown was born July 22, 1966, in Dallas. He played at Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas before starring at Notre Dame.

Then the Los Angeles Raiders drafted him sixth overall in 1988. As a rookie, Brown earned first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner and made the Pro Bowl.

Later, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Other notable No. 81s

Warren Wells, 1967-1970
Clancy Osborne, 1963-1964
Morris Bradshaw, 1974-1981
Mychal Rivera, 2013-2016
Chaz Schilens, 2008-2011
Alan Goldstein, 1960

Career check

Brown’s Raiders resume reads like a record book: 1,070 catches, 14,734 yards and 100 total touchdowns in 16 seasons. For No. 81, the body of work makes this an easy call.

Next up tomorrow: No. 80.

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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