Al Davis has officially Lost it (Raiders 2009 Offseason)

It's true, maybe the Raiders couldn't trade out of that seven spot.

I have trouble believing it, but it could be. I think people might have wanted Raji or Monroe--Monroe at seven would have been some good value. Or, of course, Crabtree.

But Crabtree's value got killed over the last week. What Cleveland did to him hurt, him strutting around on ESPN and s**t didn't help either.

So maybe.

I just really think they jumped way too high on that guy. If you look at the board, probably no one before 20 was going to take him. At least.

Now, if they couldn't move, I can see it. But if they could and didn't, right now, they look like a pack of idiots run by a senile old man.

Of course, if DHB pans out in three years people will still be calling Davis a genius despite the fact that he's 80 years old.
 
Bengals to work out sleeper safety prospect
Hot Topics



Ohio University cornerback Mark Parson may have been the one hand-picked by future Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders to come train with him at Prime U, a pre-NFL combine camp, but teammate safety Michael Mitchell is proving to be the crown jewel of the Bobcats' secondary.

The Cincinnati Bengals are among several teams wanting to get a closer look at the hard-hitting strong safety before draft day.

Mitchell will have a private workout with the Bengals on April 14 and on the same day will fly to Cleveland to visit the Browns. A day later he'll travel to Oakland to meet with the Raiders. Mitchell has met with at least four other teams since his Pro Day March 12.

The 6-foot-1, 221-pound Mitchell opened some eyes when he ripped it up at the school's pro day. He ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and knocked out 22 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He posted a 37.5-inch vertical and recorded a 10-foot-3 inch broad jump.

Mitchell was unable to perform the shuttle runs or do positional drills due to a pulled hamstring which he sustained during his first 40 run. The 10 teams in attendance apparently liked what they saw but want to see more.

That's where Ignition Athletics Performance Group in Mason, Ohio comes into play.

Mitchell appears to be another one of those prospects like UC's Connor Barwin who is training at Ignition and storming up team's draft boards. It must be something in the water there in Mason.

Clif Marshall, Performance Director at Ignition, has been working with the safety on position drills preparing him for his workouts with NFL teams.

"Michael is one of the most impressive guys that we've had here in our program," Marshall said. "When he comes into work his demeanor is all business. He attacks all his workouts and drills. The hamstring is good. He is committed to rehabbing hours each day and is a tough guy who will be ready for his workouts.

"Michael's combination of size, speed and ability on the field is what makes him an intriguing prospect. He's not one of these guys who will just test well. You have four years of film to watch him in action. I believe that's what makes him so attractive to teams."


Mitchell is extremely physical and packs a wallop when delivering the blow. He's a sure-tackler, wraps up well, outstanding playing inside the box, can play deep middle or in zone coverage. He is fluid in his back pedal, smooth in transition and shows good overall technique.

Mitchell has very good ball skills and speed to play anywhere in the secondary. He has the ability to cover slot receivers and tight ends displaying exceptional cover skills. He's an opportunistic defender leading the team with three interceptions in addition to five pass breakups and two forced fumbles last season. He was also an impact player on special teams.

Mitchell is an explosive player with a linebacker's mentality, good study habits, highly intelligent and vocal leader.

According Bobcat defensive coordinator/safeties Coach Jimmy Burrow, Mitchell improved in all areas of his weaknesses throughout his four year career at Ohio. The coach describes Mitchell as being in the same mode of longtime NFL safety John Lynch with his playing style.

Improving stock

Once considered an undrafted free agent by NFL scouts, Mitchell's draft stock is on the rise and now has a legitimate shot of hearing his name called on Day 2 of the draft. I had one scout tell me that Mitchell could be a guy like Indianapolis Colts safety Antoine Bethea, who was a little-known safety out of Howard University, but was selected in the sixth round by the Colts in 2006. Bethea was an impact player as a rookie for Indy. The Colts are among the teams showing interest in the safety.

Although Mitchell wasn't invited to the Combine, he is being looked at heavily by teams as we approach draft day. Mitchell has earned the label as the best kept secret safety prospect entering the draft.
 
I don't think the problem is that you drafted the guy, Capt.

I think the problem people have is that you picked him at 47 when he probably would have been there at 124, or almost certainly at 71.

Personally, I have no idea, I'd never heard of the guy until today.
 
Joe Public said:
I don't think the problem is that you drafted the guy, Capt.

I think the problem people have is that you picked him at 47 when he probably would have been there at 124, or almost certainly at 71.

Personally, I have no idea, I'd never heard of the guy until today.
Click to expand...

He wasn't gonna be there

Our friend David White from the San Francisco Chronicle, who covers the Raiders, informed us that Mitchell expected to go to the Bears at No.49. The Raiders traded down from No. 40, swapping with the New England Patriots.

``I thought I was going to Chicago because they had told me to stay close to my phone,'' Mitchell told Oakland-area reporters. ``When they did that, I was like, `Ok, I'm going to be a Chicago Bear.' That's what I was thinking.''

Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said he was looking at a defensive player before shipping the pick to Seattle for a third-rounder and a fourth-rounder. Angelo would not reveal the name of that defensive player.
 
Hey, maybe. Though, you know, close to the phone could have been round three, too.

But maybe the Bears loved this guy. I know the draft was supposed to be real light in the secondary so maybe he's that good. Like I said, I've never heard of him.
 
Joe Public said:
Of course, if DHB pans out in three years people will still be calling Davis a genius despite the fact that he's 80 years old.
Click to expand...

They wont, they all called Asomugha a reach and now that hes the best Corner in the game they haven't given him credit for it. They also call the Gallery pick a bust when in fact hes one of the best LG's in the league.

ESPN besides probly John Clayton hates Davis.
 
The philosophy today for the Raiders clearly was take the player we like the most. With DHB at 7 Im assuming they couldn't trade down. And if they think DHB is a better player than Crabtree than they have to make the pick.

With Mitchell if they were hearing Chicago was gonna take him and told him to be near a phone the Raiders had to take him at 47, round 3 is tomoro so they had to have been taking him at 49.
 
ESPN besides probly John Clayton hates Davis.

Well, Clayton's a Seahawk fan so, yeah, he probably does hate Davis. Frankly, though, I'm not sure many reporters like him. He's been such an open prick to guys like Shefter that you have to think there's more where that came from behind closed doors.

You're right, Namdi was a great pick. But I'd say Gallery has turned out simply OK. He's decent now, but he was supposed to step in immediately and be a rock. As it was it took him like three years to find his feet.

I don't blame the Raiders on that, though, everybody expected him to be Orlando Pace.
 
Yeah Joe all we're really trying to drive in is the point that ESPN ridiculously criticizes the Raiders for no reason

They kept drilling in that they had the worst draft, when, if you look at the two players - they're DAMN fine.

Raiders thought DHB was the best reciever, there are also stats that can show DHB wouldve put up better numbers than Crabtree at Texas Tech (and DHB had a bad QB - similar to Calvin Johnson with Reggie Ball) , so they took him at 7 after nobody called offering anything outstanding, they then picked up 4th and 6ths later knowing they could still get their man...worked out perfect, I'll give em a A for fillin two holes

Lets go with one of Throwbacks boys tomorrow sans the Tight End
 
would take an of these 4

<TABLE id=whoIsLeft cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=evenrow id=24703><TD width=155>Jared Cook</TD><TD width=85>TE</TD><TD>S CAROLINA</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow id=24514><TD width=155>Michael Johnson</TD><TD width=85>DE</TD><TD>GA TECH</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow id=24740><TD width=155>Jarron Gilbert</TD><TD width=85>DT</TD><TD>SAN JOSE ST</TD></TR><TR class=oddrow id=24372><TD width=155>Jamon Meredith</TD><TD width=85>OT</TD><TD>S CAROLINA</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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The Next Howie Long ...... lol




looks Beastly

20080916_spts_tallfootball_story.jpg
 
Raiders Didn’t Reach For Mitchell?

Posted by Mike Florio on April 26, 2009, 10:45 a.m.
The biggest shock of the first day of the draft, according to the folks who supposedly know the draft inside and out, is that the Raiders selected Ohio University safety Mike Mitchell with the 47th overall pick.
But, as it turns out, Mitchell wouldn’t have otherwise plunged to round seven.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the Bears had planned to take Mitchell two picks later.
Mitchell said Saturday that, at the start of round two, the Bears claimed they’d be drafting him at No. 49.
“When [the Bears] did that, I was like, ‘I’m going to be a Chicago Bear,’ ” Mitchell said. “That’s what I was thinking.”
And so, with Mitchell gone, the Bears traded out of the spot.
“Unfortunately the players we targeted at 49 did not fall to us and we weren’t in a position that we were able to move up,” G.M. Jerry Angelo said.
So take heart, Raiders fans. Your front office doesn’t consist of idiots.
Unless Angelo is an idiot, too.
 
Like the picks so far in the day, and I love the fact that actual respected journalists like Florio are coming out saying Mitchell wasnt a reach.

No one at ESPN will ever acknowledge it however.
 
guaranteeed said:
Like the picks so far in the day, and I love the fact that actual respected journalists like Florio are coming out saying Mitchell wasnt a reach.

No one at ESPN will ever acknowledge it however.
Click to expand...


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">One of the most memorable moments of the first day of the NFL draft was Mel Kiper Jr. criticizing Oakland's decision to draft Ohio University safety Mike Mitchell in the second round.
Kiper said Mitchell was a free agent prospect. Backing up Kiper's opinion, two teams that I talked to said they did not have Mitchell on their draft board. Mitchell wasn't invited to the February NFL Scouting combine.
Still, Kiper's words will be long remembered by Mitchell.
"Yes, I heard them," Mitchell, a well-spoken young man, said Sunday. "That's OK. Mel Kiper has his opinion and I respect it. But what does it mean? My nine-year-old nephew can watch film and make an opinion ... I think I value the opinion of scouts who actually get paid to make their opinions. All I know is the Oakland Raiders made me their second round pick and I'm determined to make Mr. (Al) Davis know he made a fine pick."
Mitchell said he keep Kiper's comments close to him for the rest of his career. In fact, Mitchell said he is in the process of getting a picture of Kiper. Mitchell plans to decorate his Oakland locker with it.
"It will carry me through my career," Mitchell said. "It will serve as motivation for me."
Mitchell said he awoke Saturday thinking he would be taken within the first four rounds. He started to get excited when his agent received a call from Chicago telling him he may be taken at No. 49. The Raiders took Mitchell at No. 47. The Chicago Tribune reports the Bears were hot on Mitchell.
"I guess Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith were wrong about me too," Mitchell said.
Mitchell got on the radar of NFL teams after a strong Pro Day workout this spring. Game film showed the speedy Mitchell is also a ferocious hitter.
"I think I opened some guys," Mitchell said. "The bottom line is I'm an Oakland Raider and I was taken in the second round. It is now all up to me. Whatever everyone has to say doesn't matter." </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>good read
 
82610564.jpg

University of Illinois Fighting Illini v University of Missouri Tigers
ST. LOUIS, MO - AUGUST 30: Juice Williams #7 of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini looks to get past Stryker Sulak #38 of the University of Missouri Tigers during the State Farm Arch Rivalry game at the Edward Jones Dome on August 30, 2008 in
 
The day started out nice as the Raiders received an apology of sorts from NFL Network Mike Mayock over his downgrading of safety Mike Mitchell, but later disintegrated after an ESPN studio session following a routine interview with coach Tom Cable by Suzy Kolber.

Some highlights:

Dilfer

“(Russell is) more accurate than people give him credit for. He’s definitely not a quarterback yet. He doesn’t do all the things quarterbacks do. I do believe the work ethic question is a legitimate one. When you can become 280 pounds in the offseason, that tells me something about how you value working out.

“Among the issues, you’re talking about speed going to help a quarterback. What about trust and dependability. And I’ll segue to you (Cris Carter), because what you did in the NFL, is a craft. It’s not just about being a fast athlete. It’s a craft. And quarterbacks need a receiver that value it as a craft, so you can trust and depend on them, especially in the critical moments in games.

Carter

“I don’t know how to build a football team. I admit that. And there’s a lot of other things I don’t know how to do. I do know how to make a receiver into a receiver, and I do know how to recognize a receiver when he can make a contribution to an NFL team.

“Darrius Heyward-Bey _ he made honorable mention All-ACC. Now you’re telling me that I just spent 50 million dollars on my quarterback, he’s my franchise quarterback, and I’m going to get a guy who’s going to be in the ACC, be inconsistent. He had games when he didn’t even catch a ball. So how’s that going to help JaMarcus? If he can’t catch a ball in an ACC game, he gets to the National Football League, now you know they have a reason to make him disappear.”

Dilfer

“It’s a different game. You can’t protect long enough to throw the football, fifth-five, sixty-yards down the field. It doesn’t work. That formula, run, run, run, suck ‘em up, throw it over their head, doesn’t work. It doesn’t work anywhere, and hasn’t worked for years.

“That’s why the best offensive coaches in this league offense understand the horizontal stretch as well as a vertical stretch. You have balance your offense to move the chains.”

Carter

“Honorable mention! Did anybody mention that?”

On Sunday morning, Mayock, when told the Chicago Bears were reportedly poised to select Mitchell, “apologized” for saying the Raiders could actually drafted the cornerback in the fifth round or later.

Mayock said he had seen no film of Mitchell and had no real handle on his skills.
 
my opinion as someone that has watched a helluva lot of mac football...mitchell isn't even close to a stretch in my opinion. now, i don't know if the bears story is for real or if they could have gotten something for him or what, but if you know who you want, how much does that shit really matter as long as you get the guy you want? maybe you get a late rounder by moving around but then you're risking losing the guy you are high on. i have no problem with them taking him there---show me a weakness the guy has. he's a fast, athletic, ball-hawking, sure tackler who can light people up. i think it was a rather weak group of safeties in this draft especially at tthe top, and i think he's better than a lot of the stiffs who were projected to go a lot further ahead of him...

now with the dhb situation, i disagree there wasn't at least some interest from other teams moving up to 7. even if you take a raw deal it's better than nothing. but that's not really the problem i have with it---problem i have is i think crabtree is one of the best football players i've seen in the last few drafts and he would have been an awesome raider. i personally have no idea what you're lookin at if you think crabtree isn't the best receiver in this draft. i don't care about the style of receiver----crab has no weaknesses at all. in my opinion he can stretch the field just as well as dhb can. i do think dhb is significantly better than maclin and a better pick than him---so they were projected to take maclin with crab off the board so i don't think it's that bad, but obviously i'm real high on crab and very disappointed the raiders didn't take him....

probably get some contributions from the late picks too that look to be solid, but it's tough for me to get over passing on crabtree
 
by the way, i think that the worst pick value-wise in the first round was the raiders' rival. awful pick in that spot by the chiefs in my opinion
 
Alright ... i am on record as being a HUGE al davis fan but i dont like the dhb pick. First , i really didnt want us to go receiver to begin with but guess i was in minority on that so i give them a pass there .... but i watched a lot of terps football last year and i saw dhb run two routes well .... the fly and the wr screen. That doesn't work in the niffel. Crabtree was available. shrug. Atleast he fits in with raiders style and russell at qb and not sure how much of what i saw was based on bad terp qb play or what was asked of him within their offense. Hope i am wrong and he becomes a great one .. the physical tools are certainly there. Who am i to question the greatest mind in sports history anyway ?
 
i think shawn bayes out of kent state whom the raiders just signed as a FA can be an nfl contributor for sure. kid is very solid, has been steadily improving...had a few injuries during the first part of career, but he had a helluva sr year for kent despite a qb who is a very shaky passer. versatile guy who can return and can take a wr screen 80 yards, and of course...great speed. makes acrobatic catches---very sure handed. was interested to see where he went, very happy to see he went to oakland; he'll fit in well. could be one of the most impactful free agents signed from college
 
Mitchell looks great on paper but show me the film where he makes plays. He has great hits from time to time, but overall Mitchell was a disappoint production wise down here. Kid has everything you want.

Just show me on the field. He hasn't done that consistently enough.
 
broadwayjoe said:
by the way, i think that the worst pick value-wise in the first round was the raiders' rival. awful pick in that spot by the chiefs in my opinion
Click to expand...

Thats a great point, all this talk about how the Raiders reached 10-15 spots in taking DHB. Every other mock draft, outside of Kiper, said that Tyson Jackson should have been selected in the middle of the first round, so the Chiefs technically reached about 10-12 spots.

Yet ESPN only ripped on the Raiders, shocking:36_19_2:
 
86% of Sports Nation gave the Raiders a D or F on their draft.

Only 40% gave D or F to Denver who clearly f**ked up. Gosh everyone must hate Oakland.



BTW, I think the Chiefs reached as well at #3. Clearly they wanted out but there were no buyers. At least Pioli and KC can admit they are in a rebuilding period. Trading Tony G and drafting Ty Jackson they showed they are commited to the future.
 
You can say Denver f'd up value wise, but look at the end result. They had a GREAT draft IMO. You get Moreno, Ayers, and Alphonso Smith. Those could be three all pro caliber players. Yes, it's weird to trade a 1 for a 2nd round pick. But not if you view that players as first round quality.
 
<TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=520 border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #7b0000" colSpan=5><CENTER>AFC West Draft Grades</CENTER></TH>
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<TD width=120>Consensus GPA</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>2.26</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>2.63</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>0.78</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>2.37</CENTER></TD>
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</TR>
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<TD width=120>CBSSportsline.com's
Pete Prisco</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C-</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>FoxSports.com's
John Czarnecki</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B-</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>ESPN.com's
Mel Kiper Jr.</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C+</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>NBCSports.com's
Gregg Rosenthal
Evan Silva</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B+</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B+</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B+</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>Fanhouse's
Tom Herrera</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C+</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>F</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>ESPN.com's
SportsNation</TD>
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<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>F</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C+</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>SportingNews.com's
Clifton Brown</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>A-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>F</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>USAToday.com's
Larry Weisman</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D+</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>A</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>C-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B</CENTER></TD>
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<TD width=120>Yahoo.com's
Jason Cole</TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>D</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>A-</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>F</CENTER></TD>
<TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 18px" vAlign=center width=80><CENTER>B</CENTER></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Mitchell wasn't a reach because the bears where right behind the raiders ready to take him. Heyward-Bey is because nothing I read had anyone taking him near 7.
 
Maybe all the experts are stupid, but the Raiders were ripped for their top three selections. NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock had low-round grades on both Ohio safety Michael Mitchell and Wisconsin linebacker Matt Shaughnessy, who was slipping down most team's draft boards. Yes, the Raiders have a need at safety with the disappointing play of former No. 1 pick Michael Huff. Reportedly, the Bears wanted Mitchell in the second round and that's why they traded out of the round.

No. 1 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey may have been the fastest receiver in the draft, but he never had a 1,000-yard receiving season at Maryland and wasn't named to either the first or second all-ACC teams. Heyward-Bey was the first receiver taken No. 1 by Davis since Tim Brown in 1988. The Raiders took another track-star receiver in Florida's Louis Murphy, who ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at the Combine. I think the only way owner Al Davis wins with the talking heads on television is by going out and either hiring Mayock or ESPN's Mel Kiper. Bottom line, the Raiders are 24-72 since losing to Tampa Bay in the 2003 Super Bowl, but that doesn't mean Al is going to change his ways. Grade: C-

from Fox Sports
 
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Add Chris Carter to the list of ESPN clowns :shake:






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The bottom line

The Raiders got bad draft grades primarily because they’ve been a bad team for six years and have made a lot of questionable personnel decisions (duh) during that span.

If Bill Belichick or the Ozzie Newsome had made the same picks, they’d be viewed in an entirely different light because of their recent track records.

Cable sold the Raiders choices with confidence and resolve. He doesn’t care what the media thinks, and it always amazes me more experienced coaches don’t adopt the same philosophy.

If the Raiders go 10-6, next year’s draft stories will recount how they proved everyone wrong and give them some credibility for 2010. Cable will be declared a genius, the man who “changed” Al Davis.

If the Raiders go 6-10, Heyward-Bey is a non-factor and Michael Crabtree catches 70 passes for 1,000 yards in San Francisco, while Mike Mitchell is a special teams gunner and nothing more, Cable will probably be labeled as Al’s puppet even if it was a joint effort.

It’s not that complicated.

Either way, it will serve Cable well to keep his public approach as steady as he has since Davis went to the overhead projector.

I’m scheduled to write a column for Tuesday grading each team, but don’t put too much stock in it, because I don’t.

You do what you’re assigned to do, even if you know judging a draft immediately _ as opposed to four or years down the road _ is one of the most ridiculous exercises in your profession.
 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/lieberman/detail?blogid=70&entry_id=39163

These comments from an ex-NFL scout were sent to me via the wires of SFGate:

I was once long ago a scout, and teams value different things in their players.
I believe the Raiders are not a high volume passing team. They do not substitute short passes for a running game. It is clear they wanted a WR who will demand that teams rotate a safety to his side of the field on most downs.

A vertical threat in short.

If the Raiders were a West Coast offense team Crabtree would have made perfect sense. However the Raiders are not looking for a WR to work intermediate zones; they believe they have that in Miller and in the future, Scheilens.
The pick makes perfect sense to me and is no more of a reach then KC taking Tyson Jackson at #3 because he is exactly what they needed for the "SCHEME" they play on defense.

The comparisons of DHB to Troy Williamson are absurd; he has solid hands. Does he have the best hands of the WRs taken in the first round,?, probably not. Does he have the worst? No, he doesn't by a long shot. His hands are as good as Maclin's.

The routes and catches Maclin was asked to make at Mizzou were incredibly easy. The offense HDB operated in was far more sophisticated and demanding a great deal more from a wideout to be productive. If Bey were asked to catch bubble screens and turn up field his career numbers in college would be equal to Maclin's and Crabtree's.
 
Capt. Slap said:
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Add Chris Carter to the list of ESPN clowns :shake:
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I never seen this DHB looks fuckin pissed.

pretty classless of ESPN to do this right b4 his interview :shake:
 
the whole draft system is bullshit. The only thing the Raiders fucked up on is that they could have clearly traded down like 6 or 7 spots to take him and gotten something more. Talent wise, its a complete fucking toss up and no one on ESPN or on here will convince me otherwise. For all anyone knows, this guy works hard and turns out to be incredible and goes to the HOF. If you look at how many WR's in the last 10 years of the draft, who got drafted in the 1st round, who were supposed to be the next Jerry Rice, are even in the league let alone starting, the number is pretty pathetic. I dont know it off the top of my head but its a low %.

If you ask me Crabtree is coming out of a system thats its hard to fail in numbers wise. Hes probably talented, but who the hell is throwing to him next year? Same goes for Bay I guess but we will see
 
Wow, i agree that was fucked up to degrade him like that then put him on for an interview. Hopefully for the Raiders sake and DHB, he uses that as motivation to pick his game up and not be a bust.
 
<TABLE borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 width="98%" bgColor=#000000 border=0><TBODY><TR bgColor=#363636><TD width="100%"><SMALL>9:15 pm (ESPN) </SMALL></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 width="98%" bgColor=#000000 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle width=35>481</TD><TD width=185>San Diego Chargers</TD><TD align=middle width=85>-6</TD><TD align=middle width=85>43</TD><TD width=45> </TD><TD width=85> </TD><TD width=85> </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle width=35>482</TD><TD width=185>Oakland Raiders</TD><TD align=middle width=85> </TD><TD align=middle width=85> </TD><TD width=45> </TD><TD width=85> </TD><TD width=85> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 width="98%" bgColor=#003366 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Line Changes Made Within Last 15 Minutes Are </TD><TD width="1%" bgColor=#666666>Highlighted.</TD><TD width="98%"> </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
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