text: 2011 season The Oakland Raiders selected Pryor in the third round of the 2011 supplemental draft on August 22, 2011; he was the last pick longtime owner Al Davis made in his tenure with the Raiders, thus ending the Al Davis "speed era" including players Bo Jackson, Darrius Heyward-Bey, and Cliff Branch among others. Three days later, Pryor and the Raiders agreed to a four-year contract. Pryor served an NFL-mandated five-game suspension at the beginning of the 2011 season (the suspension being from the Ohio State scandal), but was still able to work out with the club. Pryor was reinstated the day following the team's win over the Houston Texans.
  In a Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs on October 23, Pryor saw his first NFL action. He lined up at the wide receiver spot, motioned behind center and ran a quarterback sneak, although the play was nullified due to a false start penalty on Pryor.
  2012 season
  Pryor sat out for most of the 2012 season; however, one of his few appearances was a 22-yard reception thrown by Carson Palmer in Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers. Pryor was named the starting quarterback in the season finale against the San Diego Chargers after season-long starting quarterback Palmer went down with an injury the previous week. In his first start, Pryor threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, but he also threw an interception and only completed 46% of his passes in a three-point loss.