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Archive for May, 2014
After putting together a record-setting performance at Fresno State, Derek Carr boasts one of the best pedigrees of any quarterback in the 2014 NFL draft class.  The Oakland Raiders selected Carr in the second round with the 36th overall pick of the draft, hoping his strong resume will turn into results on the field at the highest level.  CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora had it first: Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle provides an update on how the Raiders' view their quarterback situation: While all the hype this year was directed at Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, Louisville's Teddy Bridgewater and Central Florida's Blake ...
The first round of the 2014 NFL draft is in the books and the Oakland Raiders selected linebacker Khalil Mack with the fifth overall pick. Based on availability, who are the top five players the Raiders should be looking to take going forward? Watch as B/R's Chris Simms and Adam Lefkoe break down Oakland's Big Board.Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com
Things have not gone well for the Oakland Raiders for a long time on or off the field. The moribund franchise plays in one of the worst stadiums in the NFL and hasn’t had a winning season or been to the playoffs since 2002. One of the franchise’s issues has been finding talent in the draft. Either the Raiders have missed badly on their picks or traded them away for overpriced veterans.   While the jury is still out on general manager Reggie McKenzie’s 2013 draft class, he has to be overjoyed with his first pick of the 2014 NFL draft—former University ...
The Oakland Raiders added a weapon on defense when they chose Khalil Mack in the first round. Mack will add to the list of players Reggie McKenzie has added on defense. The Raiders' focus has been to turn the team around, and they've really focused on the defensive side of the ball. Mack will now join Justin Tuck, Sio Moore, LaMarr Woodley, Antonio Smith, Nick Roach and Pat Sims on the Raiders front seven. This is a much stronger front seven than it was last year. The Raiders have struggled to generate a pass rush in the last two years, but the ...
The Oakland Raiders selected Khalil Mack with the fifth pick in the NFL draft. Mack gives the Raiders one of the most dynamic pass-rushers in the draft. The Raiders face Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Alex Smith twice a year, and getting them on the ground is important for the Raiders' success. Mack should fit in well with Jason Tarver's defense.  Tarver likes to use multiple looks on defense, and Mack will probably move around and play a few different positions. He could play inside linebacker or rush along the edge when the Raiders line up in a 3-4 defense. When ...
Khalil Mack was selected fifth overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2014 NFL draft. The former Buffalo Bull standout was regarded by most as the best outside linebacker in the draft, and Oakland thought he was too good to pass up. Mack was an unheralded recruit out of high school, but he shone for four years at Buffalo, where he used his size, strength and speed to become a force at linebacker for them. He proved capable of making a serious impact against big-time competition and set school records for sacks and tackles for loss in his time. The redshirt senior ...
The Oakland A’s deserve some much-needed home cooking, particularly after the grueling recent three-game series against the Boston Red Sox. All three games were intense, as the A’s were strongly tested by the World Series champions. Oakland escaped with a 10-inning victory on Sunday to take the last game in the series, avoiding a sweep by doing so. Each contest was a struggle for the Athletics. In fact, in all three facets of the game—pitching, hitting, fielding—the A’s were generally outplayed. On the edge of being swept out of Boston, on the heels of an inspiring three-game sweep of their own ...
The Oakland Raiders' 2014 rookie class will face a lot of pressure coming into their first year. Reggie McKenzie has yet to see significant production from the majority of his draft picks since he was hired as the GM. If the Raiders don't get immediate production from multiple rookies out of this draft, it could be the end of the road for McKenzie or head coach Dennis Allen. The Raiders added several veterans this offseason, but nobody is signed for the long term. That means the Raiders have the majority of their key positions unsecured for the future. There is no position that ...
The 2014 NFL draft is now just hours away, and the Raiders represent one of several wild-card teams within the top 10 selections.  With so many needs throughout the roster, the Raiders could go a number of different directions with this pick, including opting to trade down if the right offer is on the table.  It is at this point in the predraft process where NFL analysts are submitting their final mock drafts, giving their best guesses as to how the first round will play out.  Though mock drafts are nearly impossible to make accurately, each pick is made with specific reasoning and ...
It's been an interesting first month of baseball for the Oakland Athletics. Fans and beat writers have learned about the state of pitching, the seriousness of the offense and more in that span. And if April is any indication, not making the playoffs would be a bizarre occurrence. Certain individual pitchers are thriving, while others aren't getting it done. One unit as a whole isn't clicking just yet. Starters may need to sit, and platoon guys may warrant more time. But so far, the A's have thrived on their way to the second-best record in the American League. Here's a look at what ...