Chasing the Dragon: The NFL Draft
by Rich Langford on Mar 26, 2010 2:27 AM PDT
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PrintCan you hear the slamming hoofs of the approaching thundering herd? Here it comes; the most anticipated event in the annual recurrence of the NFL: The Draft!
It may not be the most watched or hyped, but given the duration of the sustained void of other NFL news, the draft is covered and speculated upon like no other event in the NFL.
Enough talking! We don’t have time for this! The draft is coming! The draft is coming! Where are my notes, charts, bar graphs, videos and voodoo dolls. For a team like the Raiders--i.e. the Raiders, since they are on an unprecedented run of ineptitude--the draft is vitally important.
Reviewing my notes, charts, bar graphs, videos and voodoo dolls from last year it appears they were completely worthless. Al Davis obviously has different charts than I do.
I quickly classified last year's version as a travesty of senility, or a tranility. According to the experts, these judgments may have been premature. Here is a sample of some typical draft day banter.
Chris Berman: Bawbmhmpf STUMBLIN’ BUMBLIN’…thoughts, grades Mel?
Mel Kiper: Well Chris, the Raiders reached in this year’s draft. Of course, you can’t really grade a draft until 3-5 years down the road. Any serious analyzing on the quality of a draft should be focused on those years.
Berman: Bahamph! Berman, Berman! BACK, BACK, BACK…Raiders. Grade. Mel?
Kiper: We really need to go back and review…
Tom Jackson: Come on, man!
Berman: Swami say, grade!
Kiper: Fine, D…are you numb nuts happy, now! The Hair gives them a D!
TJ: Tom like cereal! Er…um, come on, man! ...Broncos!
Kiper: Tom, you are drooling on the desk….
Berman: Mel "Grade one for the Giper" Kiper gives a D! Berman pronounces Giper with a long I to rhyme with Kiper.
Kiper: It’s actually Gipper, Chris
Berman: I’m Chris Berman bitch! Berman has his sweat bucket boy slap Kiper.
TJ: Al Davis bukkaked my wife! Come on, man!
Kiper: I am going back to my basement ‘til next year.
Enough of the in depth analysis from the war room, I am going to do what is said should be done, but never seems to be done and that is, look back at the drafts from 3-5 years ago.
2007
1. DT JaMarcus Russell
An in depth look at this draft pick reveals…moving on.
38. TE Zach Miller
TE’s picked in the 2nd round should be good and he is. He is clearly the teams best offensive player, which sucks, but is good for him. SUCCESS!
65. LB Quentin Moses
He has the wonderfully dubious honor of being the year’s highest drafted player to be cut. FAIL!
91. T Mario Henderson
A solid 3rd round pick. Hopefully he is still developing, but even if he isn’t: SUCCESS!
99. WR Johnnie Lee Higgins
He is good…until he gets hit once, then he needs a year to recover.
100. RB Michael Bush
Even if this isn't Bush's breakout year, like many expect, this is still an excellent fourth round pick. SUCCESS!
138. DE Jay Richardson
He is still on the roster, 7 career sacks, at number 138, you sir, are a SUCCESS.
165. S Eric Frampton
Frampton comes alive! However, he never made the roster. FAIL! The Bears took S Kevin Payne two picks later. Payne has started 22 games for the Bears.
175. FB Oren O’Neal
O’Neal looked like he was on his way to becoming the FB of the future, until his leg was ripped off at the knee. This was a solid pick. You can’t blame the Raiders for failing to notice his detachable leg.
254. WR Jonathan Holland
One pick away from being Mr. Irrelevant! Holland is a fine tackling WR. Maybe there is a use for DHB’s hands after all! The fact that the second to last pick is on the squad means: SUCCESS!
Overall, this was a strong draft for the Raiders. 7 of 10 drafted players are still on the roster. Including an all-pro caliber TE, starting LT and possibly the starting RB. The problem with this draft is its epic failures. You can’t fail on the #1 overall pick. Also, it is never good to have the highest drafted player to not make a roster.
2007 Grade B-
2006
7. FS Michael Huff
Huff finally made some plays last year, but were it not for the fact he sucked so bad every other year, last year would not have been viewed as a success. S Donte Whitner was selected the very next pick. His productivity has declined each year and last year he lost his starting job, yet had roughly the same stats as Huff. FAIL!
Five picks after Huff, the Ravens selected Hghahftzd (sp?) Nata, their big ass (literally) all pro NT.
38. OLB Thomas Howard
A solid 2nd round pick. SUCCESS!
69. G Paul McQuistan
Is now ready to suck for the Jaguars. FAIL!
101. SS Darnell Bing
The plan was to take this college safety and make him an OLB. Shockingly this didn’t work. He made a solid contribution to the IR squad his rookie year. Not comprehending the value of IR players named after search engines the Raiders released him in ’07. FAIL!
176. T Kevin Boothe
Is greatest T ever to come out of Cornell University. Started 14 games at G for the Raiders his rookie season and was so impressive they cut him the next year. He is now a versatile and valuable back up for the Giants. This would be a solid pick, if they hadn’t cut him, but…FAIL!
214. C Chris Morris
A good 7th round selection. He is a flexible back-up lineman. Unfortunately, he started 10 games last year. SUCCESS
255. Kevin McMahan
Mr Irrelevant. Didn’t make it through camp.
3 out of 7 players drafted are still on the roster. This is not good. There is not nearly enough production from Huff to justify the #7 pick. Howard was a solid second round pick and Morris an excellent 7th round pick. The other four were a waste.
2006 Grade D+
2005
Traded the #7 pick for WR That Shall Not Be Named. Players available at 7 that year included: DeMarcus Ware, Shawne Merriman and Jamal Brown. WR That Shall Not Be Named sucks at life.
23. CB Fabian Washington
He is super fast. FAIL!
Oh and the player picked after the super speedy Washington, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers is glad Washington is super fast.
38. CB Stanford Routt
Lame! FAIL! Next.
69. QB Andrew Walter
Walter is now broken and unreturnable. He is currently throwing tight spirals in his backyard, when not ducking the two hand touch of his daughters. FAIL!
78. MLB Kirk Morrison
Personally, I am hoping for a new MLB next year, but after accumulating about a bazillion tackles, this is a good third round pick. SUCCESS
175. DT Anttaj Hawthorne
Played in 16 games in ’06 and then went onto World and Arena League Superstardom! FAIL!
212. DE Ryan Riddle
Riddle me this: How was the Arena League? FAIL!
214. T Pete McMahon
He has graced the rosters of 9 different teams and played in as many games as I have. FAIL!
*Riddle and McMahon made a Derek Anderson sandwich, who was picked at 213.
2 of the 7 players drafted are on the current roster and unfortunately Routt is one of them. Morrison may be gone, but the Raiders will recoup their original 3rd round pick if he is. Which will make this the lone bright spot of this draft. Except of course, for the destruction of Andrew Walter’s psyche.
2005 Grade…there is no letter representative of the quality of this draft, but I think it can be represented by the symbol left in my underwear after eating 12 Taco Bell Shrimp Taco’s.
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2007 B to B+
The only blowout is JR who should have made that draft year an A-. However, looking at players chosen who are playing, not sure about contributing, I would argue that it’s a solid B when you compare to other teams who don’t have as many active starters on their teams. I haven’t given up on JR knowing that the only person who can help JR (not specialist coaches, retired Raiders turned body guard, new OC, etc) is JR. He needs to find that heart of his somewhere under the fur and grow up. We need wins.
I was going to go the opposite way on that one
I think 2007 should be a C at most. Obviously my opinion of JR differs from yours, and then to get nothing out of the 65 pick as well…ouch.
I like Michael Bush and Jay Richardson, but neither has really done much yet.
nice
TJ: Al Davis bukkaked my wife! Come on, man!
classic.
its pretty depressing looking back at a 05 and 06. One thing i’ll say about the 07 draft is thank god Brady Quinn has turned out to be terrible thus far as well although if he beats out Orton which is probably not too difficult we will have to play him twice a year.
"Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My 9-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion. I think I value the opinion of scouts who get paid to make their opinions. It will carry me through my career. It will serve as motivation for me." - Mike Mitchell
"I'll be the guy on top of the Quarterback" - Richard Seymour
Here they come baby, Just win baby, Feel the storm of the cold autum wind baby
Its the Oakland Raiders, Get your mouthpiece
You in the black hole, With the black beast! - Ice Cube 'Raider Nation'
QB
I looked back at the draft where the Raiders took Russell and I don’t believe there is one stellar QB in the bunch.
by Mallard Davis on Mar 26, 2010 9:07 AM PDT up reply actions
It was pretty pathetic qb draft
Kevin Kolb is probably the best qb in this group at this point. He is battling it out with Trent Edwards. Of course the big debate in this draft was not only Russell or Quinn, but Calvin Johnson as well.
Looking back, I think I would have prefered Joe Thomas who was picked at three. Then there is Adrian Mr. Fumbles Peterson at 7 and Darelle Revis at 14, but they didn’t enter anyone’s discussion for the top pick.
Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.
by Rich Langford on Mar 26, 2010 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions
Fuck it!
I would take Peterson or Revis over JaFumbleitisEatsEverythingInSightNeverMissedAMealSoonToBeJennyCraigSpokesPerson anyday. So what if Peterson fumbles now and again! I would take him in heartbeat and give a 1st rounder for the next 2 years IF Minn would take JaGastritis too.
Win at all costs! Winning ugly is still winning! Remember the past and what got us to the top before. Jim Plunkett and winning ugly......enough said!
by TheLyleAlzadoPunch on Mar 26, 2010 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Of course, you would take them over Russell
hindsight is 20/20. You can’t knock the Raiders for passing on those guys, since every team would have passed on them at #1.
Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.
by Rich Langford on Mar 26, 2010 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
No sure
about that one. I think certain teams if they had the #1 overall pick would have taken someone before JaSenselessNoMuscle. I am not sure but I think I remember certain teams werent sold on him as a QB.
Win at all costs! Winning ugly is still winning! Remember the past and what got us to the top before. Jim Plunkett and winning ugly......enough said!
by TheLyleAlzadoPunch on Mar 26, 2010 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Right, I was speaking of Fumbles McPeterson and Revis.
Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.
by Rich Langford on Mar 26, 2010 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
The popular argument at the time was that Calvin Johnson should be 1
Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.
by Rich Langford on Mar 26, 2010 11:05 AM PDT up reply actions
We should have taken a qb in 06 when instead of huffdaddy
But again when you look back the two available at the time – cutler and lienart, they are crap as well although that would have allowed us to draft megatron
"Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My 9-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion. I think I value the opinion of scouts who get paid to make their opinions. It will carry me through my career. It will serve as motivation for me." - Mike Mitchell
"I'll be the guy on top of the Quarterback" - Richard Seymour
Here they come baby, Just win baby, Feel the storm of the cold autum wind baby
Its the Oakland Raiders, Get your mouthpiece
You in the black hole, With the black beast! - Ice Cube 'Raider Nation'
by Ozraider on Mar 26, 2010 3:55 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Basically
We suck at picking in the high rounds and good in the middle rounds.
We all love the Warriors..
We all hate Cohan as an owner of this franchise…
Well
More specifically we suck at picking QBs in any round.
Win at all costs! Winning ugly is still winning! Remember the past and what got us to the top before. Jim Plunkett and winning ugly......enough said!
by TheLyleAlzadoPunch on Mar 26, 2010 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions
That was absolutely painful to read.
worst drafting team in NFL history
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
by Parental Advisory on Mar 26, 2010 11:40 AM PDT reply actions
I'd be interested to know what Al's influence on the later picks is
My gut is that Al is more into the high round picks and more likely to let the staff choose the later guys, but I’m not sure. One thing’s for sure—we rarely make good picks with the high, expensive picks. We are pretty solid on the guys in the 3rd round and later, as dubzfan pointed out above.
@worldblee on Twitter.
Lack of adequate coaching & scouting has a lot to do with it
Looking back it’s easier to understand why the Raiders have been so bad so long. Too many whiffs in the draft at times when they needed strength. Too much emphasis on potential without the coaching ability or stability to see any of it through really hurt. It’s been tough to watch some of these guys who we had so much hope for when drafted fail.
The Airman of Westwood
Well....the trend seems to be that we're getting better....
The glass is half full – the glass is half full – the glass IS half FULL-
Cable Bumaye! Raiders Bumaye!
I agree with a low grade for these.
Joe Thomas was drafted at #3 the year we took Jasuckubus. That would have fixed our LT problem we’ve been suffering with since Lincoln Kennedy retired. Calvin Johnson was also picked at #2. Either way the good teams buid from the trenches early and then find good skill position talent later. I guess Al gets that right about 40% of the time.
Who Played "QB"
So you got the “OT” and who was he protecting…“A&W”….Obviously we went a long way into the play-offs that season….
Hind-Site is vastly over rated!!!!!/_
Influence Of The "HC"
“05” was Callahan n “06” was Shell II…
So I would say in the later rounds they got their men and they basically sucked…One of the problems is that each year the “HC” changed so what ever their plan was in the draft it never had time to work out and the following year the new meat at “HC” didn’t like last years picks..
“07” was Lance so in the later rounds the success we have seen may be attributed to him….Speculation of course because none of us really knows…
“08” was also Lance but by than he was in the dog-house so I would say he had much less influence on those picks…Dare we say the “OldMan” got what he wanted that whole draft…I would speculate as such…
“09” was Cable and this year it’s a question as to how much influence he will have on the draft…Is he in the dog-house or at the "OldMan"s right hand…
Wait-n-See time in the Nation I would guess…
Thanks For The Correction
My 60th yr so the memory starts to escape me at times…And there have been far too many comings and goings to keep it all straight so I should have taken the time to look it up…That’s one of the few things I’m happy about Cable for…He has been here for 1.75 seasons and on his 3rd so at least we have some continuity in the Coaches….That is if he doesn’t break any more “JawBones”….
Hindsight
is a nice to have. The question that you must ask, particularly with the #1 pick and you have a QB need, does the kid love the game? Would he play for free because he loves it so much. Peyton had that look where he pay to play. That’s why he was picked above Leaf (who at the time had a stronger arm, etc); no way Aikman was going to sit on any sidelines (even if he had a quiet demeanor); Elway was desperate to win and it was clear that the Baltimore Colts were a fiasco. So in hindsight for the 07 draft, the play would have been trading the pick down still in the 1st while picking up a solid proven OT and Quinn or whatever QB or even trading that lower 1st pick for a QB with a couple of years of experience.
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