Some will question if the Raiders really addressed
a need by taking running back Darren McFadden with the No. 4 overall selection.
But scoring touchdowns is a need for every team. The Raiders were active in free
agency, addressing some of their more obvious needs
Round 1, Pick 4 (4) Darren McFadden RB 6'2" 210 Arkansas
Arguably the most talented player in the draft, McFadden brings a big-play
threat to Oakland. He will offer a compliment to quarterback JaMarcus Russell,
who was the first overall pick in 2007. In three years at Arkansas, he carried
785 times for 4,590 yards and 41 touchdowns. He has exceptional acceleration and
upper body strength.
Round 4, Pick 1 (100)
(From Dolphins through Cowboys) Tyvon Branch CB 6'0" 204 Connecticut
Branch is strong, fast and has started for four years. His measurables have been
exceptional. Branch's strong workout numbers compare to only five other players
at his position and four have played in the Pro Bowl, while the fifth is a
quality contributor in the NFL.
Round 4, Pick 26 (125)
(From Jaguars through Ravens) Arman Shields WR 6'1" 194 Richmond
Shields did not have as good a senior year as he did as a junior, but he's still
tall and he's fast. He ran a 4.37 40 and also had impressive cone drill numbers.
He's a guy who can amass yards after the catch and make plays.
Round 6, Pick 3 (169) Trevor Scott DE 6'5" 256 Buffalo
Scott is a tall defensive end, with speed. He has great workout numbers, but his
production on the field was somewhat lacking. He needs to demonstrate on the
field the talent that his workout numbers indicate he could be capable of.
Round 7, Pick 19 (226)
(From Vikings through Jets) Chaz Schilens WR 6'4" 208 San Diego State
Schilens excites people because of his exceptional size and speed. Due to his
pure athleticism, he will have a chance to make the roster. He still needs some
polish as a receiver.
Oakland Raiders 2008 NFL Preview
The Raiders have some things to
be excited about. With JaMarcus Russell at quarterback from day one
and Darren McFadden who many thought should have been the number one
pick, they should be able to run easily, with Justin Fargas also in
the backfield. The problem is everyone can run on them too and throw
whenever they want as well. Don't let the statistics fool you. The
Raiders defense can't stop anyone, no one threw because they could
run all over the Raiders, not because of the vaunted cornerback duo
of Nnamdi Asomugha and Fabian
Washington. The safeties were not anything to write home about
either. Enter the new players CB's DeAngelo Hall, Michael Waddell,
and rookie Tyvon Branch, and safety Gibril Wilson are here to save
the day. The thing is no matter what the Raiders do, they are still
the Raiders. So although there will be excitement, there won't be
many wins.
Al Davis continues to mortgage the
future for now and getting very poor results although we will cover
this more later, suffice it to say that this team is going to be in
serious trouble in a few years unless the cap goes away. So if you
are looking for labor strife in the future, Al Davis is doing his
damndest to guarantee it.
It's not just the future, but the
constant soap opera that is the Raiders has become a kafa-esque
entity completely unto itself. Al Davis is always at the center of
it.
Incensed upon learning that Kiffin pondered the possibility of
returning to the college ranks, the owner drafted a letter of
resignation for the coach to sign. Kiffin refused. The mess that
unfolded from this would have been a public relations nightmare, if
the Raiders had any clue what public relations were, or really, if
the public regarded the Raiders as anything more than a low rent
traveling tent circus already.
Since then it has
just become completely comical. Kiffin doesn’t even have a say over
his own coaching staff. He and defensive coordinator
Rob Ryan agreed to part
ways in January. Ryan was all set to take a job with the Jets. When
he went in to thank Davis for his four years in Oakland, the owner
blew a fuse and vetoed the move, forcing Ryan to finish out the
final year of his contract. Then, this past spring, it was reported
that Kiffin wanted as many as five assistant coaches removed, but
Davis declined because of aversion to paying off their contracts.
Offense: Lots of new players are going to be worked into the
scheme. The talent is there, but this is the Raiders and that really
never seems to matter. JaMarcus Russell will get his chance from the
beginning if he can learn the playbook a full year later than he should
have, however from watching in the early preseason games it appears that
Russell still doesn't know the playbook as well as Andrew Walter does.
With Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush all available and
a quarterback that can run in Russell, maybe the Raiders can just revert
to the Wing-T or Wishbone offense. Wide
receivers Ronald Curry, Javon
Walker and Drew Carterdon't exactly strike any fear into anyone anymore, and with the
second rate at best offensive line Russell will be running for his life
anyway. What it all comes down to is
that after skipping
his senior year at LSU and holding out his first training camp, Russell
essentially comes into 2008 as a rookie. Whatever growing pains he
endures, the Raiders will experience with him. We expect them to be
many, but McFadden should be fun to watch anyways.
Defense: The defense just sucked last year, so Al Davis just
went on another spending spree. Of the players he brought in, only
DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson are untainted. And both came at a very
hefty a price. Hall signed a seven-year deal worth as much as $70
million. Oakland also had to ship an ’08 second-round pick and ’09
fifth-rounder to Atlanta. Wilson got six years, $39 million. Together,
more than $40 million was guaranteed to the two DB’s. The future just
continues to get bleaker in Oakland. With lame duck "de
facto defensive coordinator" Rob Ryan essentially just holding up space,
there is just no telling what is going to happen this year with theis
defense. They may just decide to lay down completely and we could see
some major blowouts.
Overall: I want to say
that the players will take some pride and regardless of the coaching
situations and problems will do their best, but then again, this is the
Raiders.
