Former Raiders WR Ronald Curry hired as 49ers offensive assistant

The Raiders drafted North Carolina quarterback, Ronald Curry in the 7th round of the 2002 draft with the intention of turning him into a receiver. The former starting point guard for the Tarheels looked to be an ideal player to make the switch to receiver, and the assumption proved correct. The Raiders got a steal in Curry as he went on to become the team's best receiver in 2006 and 2007

During a time of pretty terrible quarterback play in Oakland, Curry was the number one target in the receiving game. In 2006, the Raiders had an historically bad team, with Aaron Brooks bumbling through the first half of the season and rookie Andrew Walter getting scarred for life over the final eight games. In 2007 it was scrap heap players Josh McCown and Dante Culpepper who split the season at quarterback.

Curry's most remembered among Raiders fans as having one of the greatest catches in Raider history. It was a touchdown catch in the snow in Denver to help the Raiders come from behind to beat the Broncos.

Curry played all seven of his NFL seasons with the Raiders from 2002-08. He led the team in receiving twice and was second in receiving a third season. Curry has spent the past three years at Morrisville High School in Morrisville, NC, as athletic director and head football coach.

His experience with the Raiders was extremely valuable and now he returns to the Bay Area as an offensive assistant for the 49ers under head coach Jim Harbaugh. Ironically, being hired as an offensive assistant in Oakland was where Harbaugh got his start in the NFL in 2002. He spent two seasons at the post -- also Curry's first two seasons with the Raiders -- before heading to the college ranks.

Follow @LeviDamien