Wow, it feels like forever since I’ve had two unaccounted for hours to sit here on my chaise lounge and muse about my favorite football team. So, finally, this morning I am sitting in the Bay Window, watching Beauty and the Geek 2008 re-runs, and breaking down the last five seasons of drafts in looking for sure things in the First Round by position. God I love Blogging!!!
Last season I was all about us drafting a wide receiver in the 2nd Round, until we traded for DeAngelo “Who”. Oddly enough, had we NOT made that trade, my pick Desean Jackson would have been there for the taking and that would have made me perfect in calling the first two rounds in consecutive years. That doesn’t mean that the Raiders would have picked Jackson, it just means that HAD they not, I could have sent a raspberry to Alameda and lobbied for a job in scouting.
This year’s draft is going to be more difficult because there will be tempting players available at #7, like Michael Crabtree and Orapko, while there will should be solid players that fill needs like Eugene Monroe available.
So, for today’s experiment, I have decided to compile lists of players drafted in the Top 10 by position and rank them into 3 categories, Stud, Middle of the Road, Bust.
Without further ado, here is the list:
Studs
QB: Matt Ryan, Eli Manning, Philip Rivers
OL: Jake Long (T), Joe Thomas (T), Levi Brown (T), D’Brickashaw Ferguson
RB: Darren McFadden, Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Ronnie Brown
WR: Calvin Johnson (WR), Braylon Edwards, Roy Williams, Larry Fitzgerald, Kellen Winslow (TE)
DL: Sedrick Ellis (DT), Mario Williams (DE)
LB: Keith Rivers (WLB), Jerod Mayo, AJ Hawk, Ernie Sims
DB: LaRon Landry (SS), Carlos Rogers (CB), Antrel Rolle (CB), Sean Taylor (RIP), DeAngelo Hall (CB), Dunta Robinson (CB)
Jury’s Still Out
QB: JaMarcus Russell, Matt Leinert
OL: Robert Gallery (Probably a Stud Though)
RB: Cadillac Williams
WR:
DL: Chris Long (DE), Glen Dorsey (DT), Derrick Harvey (DE), Gaines Adams (DE)
LB:
CB: Donte Whitner (SS),
Bust
QB: Vince Young, Alex Smith
OL:
RB: Cedrick Benson
WR: Ted Ginn Jr., Vernon “Click Clack” Davis, Troy Williamson, Mike Williams, Reggie Williams
DL: Vernon Gholston (DE), Amobi Okoye (DE), Jamaal Anderson (DE)
LB:
DB: Michael Huff (SS), Pacman Jones (CB)
With the Raiders needs being a run stopping MLB, Shut down corner, Sure tackling and good coverage FS, O-Line and Wide Receiver, this data may prove useful.
Five out of 10 pass catchers have been busts. The one thing the each of the studs have in common is that they are quick, have great hands and are large targets that can elevate. Does Michael Crabtree fill that description? The answer is YES!!!
Crabtree is Six foot Three, 214 pounds, with great hands and he can elevate. If he is there, at this point, he is my pick.
I know that some of you in the Nation are saying, WHAT? You think that we need to take an Offensive lineman with that first round pick. My argument is that at #7, there will not be a player the caliber any of the studs available and the 2nd round has produced some pretty capable linemen, whereas ther will not be a receiver left in Crabtree's class.
Another thing that I noticed is that the linebackers who were rated high coming out of College have been studs so far. Rivers, Mayo, Willis, Hawk and Sims would definitely help shore up the run D.
Rey Maualuga may just be what this team needs on defense and if Crabtree is off the board I could see him becoming a Raider. He is just THAT good.
What also stands out here is that it may not be a bad idea to draft a shutdown corner to replace Nnamdi IF Nnamdi will not commit long term. If the raiders can pull off a Jared Allen like trade for him, then the team can get VERY healthy in this year's draft.
Malcolm Jenkins would be a great addition, even if we keep Nnamdi this year, but I think that it would be a waste of a pick if we were NOT going to move Nnamdi.
What stands out to you on this list? Who would you move around? Would you trade Nnamdi and draft Jenkins?
he more I look at the draft lists, I am thinking that we should trade down to #11!!!
Check out the list of players taken at #11 over the past 5 years.: Leodis McKelvin, Patrick Willis, DeMarcus Ware, Ben Roethlisburger, Jay Cutler!!!!