There are so many factors that go into drafting that if you try to figure them all out at once you are sure to have your head explode.
I am sure that we all know the Raiders #1 weakness by now...The Run Defense!!!
There are three positions that need to be filled on defense in order to improve against the run.
The team needs a run stopping, hole clogging DT, a sure tackling LB and a hard hitting SS.
When my draft search for DT began, there were really only two players that I was familiar with, Glen Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis, because they are on television the most.
After watching 14 Hours of Senior Bowl coverage there are three more players that I knew about, but was not familiar with, that look like solid DT Candidates.
Dre Moore, Red Bryant and Trevor Laws all showed that they are REAL prospects, but they are also more in line with what we should be getting from Terdell Sands, and we already know that the only thing he filled last year was his pockets...Oh Yeah, and his belly.
All three of those players moved up my wish list, but it was Trevor Laws that got me thinking about, the Draft Dilemma.
Laws may be able to fill the void that the 36 year old Warren Sapp left when he supposedly retired (Sapp has yet to file the official paperwork) and he will probably be available in the Middle of the 2nd Round which would allow the Raiders to trade down in the second and HOPEfully scoop up a third rounder.
I bring this up because I started thinking, should the Raiders draft for NEED or Nab the best player available in the first round?
This is the team that added Bo Jackson when they already had Marcus Allen!!!
Now, I know that we all LOVE what Cable has done with the line. Three different backs ran for over 100 yards at least twice last year.
I also know that we DO NOT LOVE the fact that Michael Bush was shelved just so that Denver would not claim LaMont Jordan.
Well, even IF, Michael Bush IS the next Marcus Allen, HOW can we pass on a TRUE feature back?
How can we pass on Darren McFadden, IF he's there?
Imagine what he will do behind a line that got Justin Fargas, a back who has NO breakaway speed, over the 1,000 yard mark on only 222 attempts!!!
The more that I watch his tapes, the more I think of LaDanian Tomlinson.
Watch this tape, where he even throws for two TD's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FCfZoPGEFA
A twosome of Bush and McFadden would be INSANE!!!
Remember Phillip Rivers' first season. He had success because he had LT running and Antonio Gates as an outlet.
JaMarcus would have Zach Miller as an outlet receiver and three backs that would take the pressure off of the pass rush, to say the least.
So, here is the dilemma, do the Raiders put their faith in Fargas, Rhodes and Bush and pass on an EXTREME talent at a KEY playmaking position and draft a player in the position that they need most?
Is one player on the D-Line worth passing on McFadden?
IF Michael Bush showed that he was THE MAN last season we wouldn't have this quandary...Oh WELL!!!
On another Note:
The more I think about it, I think that Sapp will stay for one more year. He is the closest player on this team to Rob Ryan and it made sense that he would retire with Ryan leaving, now it makes just as much sense that he will stay, collect his 5 million and give us One More Year.