The Oakland Raiders are picking in the top ten for the fourth consecutive year. The last three first round draft picks have failed to make a significant impact in their first year.
The Raiders more than ever need this years pick to perform right away. Tom Cable has stated that this pick must be an immediate starter from day one, and he is right.
While the previous three first round picks may be facing the pressure of avoiding the bust label, this years pick doesn't have the option to be a bust.
When you look at what position the Raiders need to draft ...
Larry Bell presented me with a copy of Sports Weekly. He wanted his professor to be prepared for the beginning of the NFL 75th Draft, which starts tonight. Let's just say that I teach Bell and today, Bell taught me!
Well, doing my homework on the NFL draft is not an unpleasant task. Those of us who are fans of the Oakland Raiders are excited about the possibilities to improve the team.
Looking at the top 64 draft prospects, I am going to pick the best of the best, with speed being the major consideration. Al Davis would be pleased with that criteria!
In ...
Mere hours away from kicking off the 2010 NFL Draft , fans and media personnel are swarming to the latest news, information, and mock draft predictions on their designated teams.
Since Saturday evening, I’ve covered rounds 1-3 of more than a dozen of the NFL franchises, and now the series continues with the Oakland Raiders.
Round One, Pick Eight—Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
This season is a make or break year for JaMarcus Russell, and there’s no chance he’ll have success without more protection.
Bruce Campbell has incredible size, tremendous speed and agility, and exceptional awareness. Campbell is also patient and reacts well to stunts ...
Yesterday Jaguars defensive end Quentin Groves announced on his Twitter site that he had been traded to the Oakland Raiders.
A check of the Raiders official site confirmed that Groves had been acquired by Oakland for an undisclosed draft pick.
Given Groves' lack of production since he was drafted 52nd overall in 2008, it is likely to be a low pick (now confirmed as the fifth rounder acquired from the Patriots).
What stands out here, though, is not the fact that Groves has been traded to Oakland, but that he has immediately been listed as a linebacker. At Jacksonville he played defensive ...
I know, I know, I said that the last mock was my last but there has been too much going on for me not to do one more. I really think that the Raiders are going to shock everyone this year and actually trade down. I also think that with the addition of Quentin Groves we can expect to see a few more 3-4 formations.
Let’s get started……………………………………………..
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Al "Grim Reaper" Davis has never been gun-shy about anything. Not on draft day, not in free agency, not on trades. Never!
And now is not the time to start! Especially not if a proven franchise QB hangs in the balance.
With that said, there are no lengths to which I wouldn't go to get Big Ben in silver and black. Including offering our first, second, and third picks this year.
Proven franchise QBs are precious commodities in the NFL. They are what make good teams great, OK teams good, bad teams OK, and (get this) terrible teams OK! There ...
Last year the Oakland A's had a terrible time finding a third basemen that could hit a baseball.
Jack Hannahan played in 52 games for the A's before being traded and ultimately replaced by Adam Kennedy, who the A's had signed to a minor league contract.
Hannahan a left hande hitter batted .193 and had a homer and eight RBI before being traded to the Seattle Mariners. In 2008 he hit .218 with 9 homers and 47 RBI in 143 games.
The only thing that kept kept him in the lineup was his defense, because other then that he could not hit. Teams ...
In the earlier years of Oakland Raiders history, far more young men were drafted. This article contains a discussion of data over a 29-year period. Also, a focus on the last 10 years is presented. Just consider this a preview for the 75th NFL Draft. What will Al Davis do?
One observation is that the Raiders are drafting fewer young players than they did in the past. Here is a portion of the data from 2000 to 2009. Let's just say, we are looking at the 21st century data.
2009
7
2008
5
2007
11
2006
7
2005
7
2004
8
2003
10
2002
8
2001
7
2000
7
7.7
avg last ten years
11
max
5
min
Here are some observations in our "peek-a-boo" analysis.
1. The ...
My, how the situation in Pittsburgh can change.
The Steelers, already having bid farewell to Santonio Holmes, now seems interested in scrubbing their image clean by ditching Ben Roethlisberger. Earlier, it was announced that the quarterback would be sitting out the first six games, more than a third of the season.
Of course, the first thing the Steelers want to do is ditch Roethlisberger, move up in the draft and get on with their lives.
So, how do the Raiders look at this issue?
First and foremost, you would be taking a quarterback with baggage, something that used to work for Oakland, but not recently. ...
He's a bust. He sucks. He will never be a good quarterback, ever. He will never succeed. Worst draft pick in Raiders' history. Worst quarterback ever. Number one bust of all-time.
These are just some of the few comments recorded Raiders' quarterback JaMarcus Russell for his three total seasons in the NFL. But some of these comments, in my opinion, are people taking it too far.
Really, I am serious. I like JaMarcus Russell. I don't consider him a bust at all. I wouldn't say he sucks right now. He does kind of, but not as much as the critics claim. Worst ...