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How to Fix the Oakland Raiders in 1 Simple Draft



Okay, not really.  It's going to take several seasons at least to turn this ship around.  But, if I could somehow wave a magic wand and make myself Oakland Raiders GM, this is the draft I would try to put together in 2010.  I'm not saying this is anything close to what they will do--God knows what Al Davis has in mind--but this is what I think they should do.  I'm going with the assumption that the Raiders will be drafting 6th  I will offer comments on why I think Davis might take the player that I would.

Star-divide

 

First Round - Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida

For me, this is virtually a no-brainer.  If I'm in charge of the Raiders draft and Brandon Spikes is available, I'm taking him.  Kirk Morrison is an excellent linebacker, but is miscast at MLB.  He'd be much better starting on the strong-side where Ricky Brown is currently out of his depth as a starter.  Enter Spikes who can start on day 1.  Plus, he's the kind of fiery, vocal leader this team desperately needs.

Why Al might actually pick him:  Davis likes his linebackers to be in the 6'2"-6'3", 240-250 lb. range, have good pursuit speed and defend the pass well.  That's Spikes to a "T". 

 

Second round - Ciron Black, OT, LSU

For all the struggles of JaMarcus Russell, the biggest disaster on the team might actually be Cornell Green at right tackle.  He's a penalty machine, he doesn't run-block particularly well and is an absolute catastrophe in pass protection.  Ciron Black isn't the best pass protector, but he's certainly better than Green.  Even better, he's exactly the big, nasty run blocking mauler the Raider running game is in desperate need of on the right side.  Like Spikes, Black can be a day 1 starter.

Why Al might actually pick him: Davis can see as plainly as anyone else how bad Cornell Green truly is and how the team needs a dominating run blocker.  Early in the second round, Black will be the best player available who can do all that.

 

Third round - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

The Raiders are pretty set at the starting corner position, especially with Nnamdi Asomugha.  Their cornerback depth is just ugly, however.  Former second round pick Stanford Routt may be the worst nickel corner in the entire league.  Even worse, compared to the people behind him on the depth chart, Routt looks like Darrelle Revis.  Kyle Wilson can fix all that.  He is an excellent option at nickel corner and may even be good enough to push Chris Johnson as starter.  Plus, he's a brilliant kick returner and the Raiders are lacking at that right now.  Though he wouldn't be starting on opening day, he could contribute right away.

Why Al might actually take him: Wilson has the speed Davis loves in his corners, has the athleticism to play man-to-man and there's a good chance Davis might fall in love with his playmaking ability in the return game.

 

Third round (from New England) - Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan

JaMarcus Russell obviously needs a nudge.  At this point in the draft, with some of the biggest needs fulfilled, LeFevour would probably be the best choice to take.  He doesn't have a rocket for an arm, but it's definitely NFL worthy and stronger than some higher prospects.  He has NFL size at 6'3", 230 lbs. and his accuracy is solid.  He can also beat you with his feet on the scramble or buy time to keep the play alive.  Unlike many quarterbacks who play that style, he also usually limits his mistakes. He could provide a true playmaking force at QB, which is something that's been altogether lacking in Oakland for a long time.

Why Al might take him:  Honestly, I don't think LeFevour is Al's type of QB.  If he would take him, it'd be because he was attracted by his big playmaking ability and accuracy.

 

Fourth round - Jay Ross, DT, East Carolina

Ross is a big space filler and Gerard Warren isn't getting any younger or more motivated.  He's been very productive stats wise from the DT position.  He can join the DT rotation and maybe push for a starting gig in the future. 

Why Al might take him: He knows the middle of the defensive line needs bolstering and Ross is as good an option, value wise, as he'll find at this point. 

 

Fifth round - Brandon Carter, G, Texas Tech

He's huge (6'7", 360 lbs.!), he's a leader, he's a badass.  The last two are in desperate need on the Raiders offensive line right now.  I think he has talent to go earlier, but because of his (frankly ridiculous) suspension, he will probably fall. 

Why Al might take him:  Have you seen this guy and how he looks?  He was born to be a Raider.  Davis also likes monsters at the guard position.

 

Fifth round (from New England) - Chris Hall, C, Texas

Samson Satele has been a woeful disappointment and Chris Morris has been uninspiring to say the least.  Hall is a superb value pick at this point and could make for interesting camp battles.

Why Al might take him: See above.  He also has the size and versatility Davis likes in his centers.

 

Sixth round - Chris Chancellor, CB, Clemson

Remember what I said about the atrocious cornerback depth?  This pick can help.  I really like Chancellor, but a lot of people have him projecting into the later rounds.  If he's available early in the sixth, he's a steal.  He's a team-oriented, intense personality type in the Asomugha mold and I would like those guys on my team if I'm a GM.

Why Al might take him: Chancellor fits the profile of a Davis cover corner.  You could do a lot worse in the sixth round.

Seventh round - John Fletcher, DE/DT, Wyoming

A mountain of a man at over six and a half feet tall, Fletcher is definitely a project, but what else can you expect this late in the draft?  He's the kind of guy that could surprise in camp and if he doesn't, you can simply cut him without too many regrets.

Why Al might take him: He can play both DE and DT and Davis seems to like those kind of guys with versatility along the D-line.  Tommy Kelly, Richard Seymour and Desmond Bryant can all play end or tackle.

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Comments

Display:

That be too scary, if that happened

Hopefully Al Davis goes all AL DAVIS, and gets Colt Mccoy or someone

"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
The Flavour of the Day is Turf. - Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars
"As for me, Life goes on."-TheTealDeal

by TheTealDeal on Oct 6, 2009 4:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Ciron Black in round 2?

Has he been really bad this year or something?

by LantermanC on Oct 6, 2009 5:15 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

How has he been that bad?

Draft guru in training.

by tj.hendricks on Oct 7, 2009 4:07 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Horrendus pass protection

" Of course Steroids should be allowed! I wanna see 700 foot home runs and 90 yard field goals! I litterally want to see someone's d**k get shoved in the dirt!"

by BradyQuinnisBeast on Oct 7, 2009 8:51 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Doubt it

Michael Oher pulled the same thing, he did just fine for himself.

What the f$%k is the internet?

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Brandon Carter

should be drafted by the Raiders. He fits them so perfect I bet Undead Al would pick him in the first round (Not exactly idiotic, the guy can play),

Brandon Spikes probably will run in the 4.5 range or higher too, so he could go that high.

I can’t see them drafting that much needed O-lineman that high either, given that Gallery was such a waste of a #2 pick.

I disagree on the whole corner depth. Actually, Asomugha, Chris Johnson and Stanford Routt are probably as good as a 1-2-3 corners can get. They need another nasty DT like Seymour.

Tho overall, I really doubt any GM would be mad at a class like this. That’s why it aint gonna happen, especially with the Raiders.

What the f$%k is the internet?

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 6, 2009 7:35 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I don't know what I think about Spikes

I think he’s Top 10 worthy. At least Top 15. Other people I know say he’ll fall like Everette Brown and Rey Maulauga did. Who knows? Too far out to know for sure since he still has over half a season’s worth of production we haven’t seen and the combine to go through. For now, I’m ranking Spikes as a high first rounder. If he drops off, i’ll adjust accordingly.

Would lovvvvveeeeeeeeee Brandon Carter in any round but the first and maybe the second. He’s the shot in the arm the O-line desperately needs.

I have to disagree with you about Stanford Routt. The dude is awful. He’s at best a dime corner and emergency depth guy. There needs to be someone above him.

Sigh……believe me, I know it won’t happen with Al at the helm. But what else can we in Raider Nation do but struggle forward?

by Raybin on Oct 7, 2009 4:35 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

didn't know about Stanford.

I read a few CB rating metrics that had him along with the top 15 corners in the game.

It also had Chris Johnson in the top 5 and Nnamdi #1 (and Corey Webster #2…)

Everrette Brown is 6"1 ,255. That’s why he fell. He’s no Dwight Freeney. He’s not even an Elvis Dumervil. Brown was always pretty good in college, but guys in that mold like Freeney and Dumervil were absolute beasts in college.

Maualuga was called a ‘space cadet’ a lot. Something Im sure that you on the West Coast was used for Vladimir Radmonovic a lot….so that’s why he fell.

Spikes is a football player. A beast of a MLB. Combine him, with Morrison and Thomas Howard? That’s a hell of a LB unit. I still think that if the Raiders can draft their Rod Woodson.…Eric Berry, they’d be better off tho.

What the f$%k is the internet?

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 7, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Where did you see the CB ratings?

I have been looking for good advanced stat and analysis NFL sites.

Also mad props for pulling out the Radmonovic comparison. Being a Sonic and Laker fan I have been frustrated by that dude for years. He has/had all the tools. He even played solid D and could pull boards early in his career, but god damn he would disapear for stretches. Lord only knows where his crazy ass head drifts off too. I have a hunch that it would be fun to be in his entourage though!

Wherever I go, that's where I am.

by noontide on Oct 8, 2009 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't know where the threadstarter

got this, or even how much to believe in it. I will say that when you rank Asomugha #1 and Webster #2, the ranking is pretty spot on.

Of course this is only one year and its last year. So take from it what you will

What the f$%k is the internet?

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 8, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Man...

The Raiders will get better when Davis is no longer in charge. Sure, you can fix them up in Madden quickly enough, but Al seems intent on suceeding his way and it’s just driving Oakland off a cliff…

"A player who conjugates a verb in the first person singular cannot be part of the squad, he has to conjugate the verb in the first person plural. We. We want to conquer. We are going to conquer. Using the word 'I' when you're in a group makes things complicated." ~ Wanderley Luxemburgo, 1999

by ejruiz on Oct 7, 2009 2:18 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I always am tweaking their roster on Madden

I’m kinda embarrassed to admit that :)

by Raybin on Oct 7, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Madden.

The thing is that it’s almost as though Al Davis is building a roster for Madden and an older version at that. He’s just collecting super atheletes and hoping that their physical talents can be honed into actual skills. Anyone that watched guys like McFadden (ball security), Russell (accuracy) and Heyward-Bey (route-running and hands) would grade them as projects with superstar ceilings, but you don’t just naturally max out on your potential over time like in a video game. The day he hands over football operations to a legitimate administration is the day they take their first real step back towards contention in the NFL.

"A player who conjugates a verb in the first person singular cannot be part of the squad, he has to conjugate the verb in the first person plural. We. We want to conquer. We are going to conquer. Using the word 'I' when you're in a group makes things complicated." ~ Wanderley Luxemburgo, 1999

by ejruiz on Oct 8, 2009 4:52 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Since he Davis will never do that

the day he dies will be when the Radiers start being competitve.

by Steel in FL on Oct 8, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

He will take Golden Tate 3rd overall......

Seriously, No way Ciron Black falls to the 2nd. Tackles always go off the board early if they have his caliber.

by darwithabar on Oct 10, 2009 9:03 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Golden wont run a 4.22 40 yard dash, so Al Davis wont be interested.

by TheRealSlimShady on Oct 10, 2009 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

rec'd

Great write-up.

Hit em with your groin!

by KingRichard on Oct 11, 2009 3:33 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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