Gareon Conley Drafted By Oakland Raiders in 1st Round

Gareon Conley is now an Oakland Raider -- the team picked the embattled football star in the 1st round of the NFL Draft ... despite being in the middle of a rape investigation.

Conley fell to the 24th pick (he probably would've gone higher if not for the allegations). We know Conley spoke with multiple teams before and during the draft -- teams that grilled him pretty hard about the allegations.

Clearly the Raiders believe he's telling the truth -- that he did not rape the accuser in a Cleveland hotel on April 9.

Conley was not at the NFL Draft in Philadelphia -- instead, he was celebrating with close friends and family members at a private gathering in Ohio.

His family previously told TMZ Sports they believe God is on their side ... and Gareon will prove his innocence.