| Jeff Risdon. 29th May, 2007 - 5:17 pm
 The picks:
1st round, #1 overall--JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
2nd round, #38--Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State
3rd round, #65--Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
3rd round, #91--Mario Henderson, T, NC State
3rd round, #99--Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR, UTEP
4th round, #100--Michael Bush, RB, Louisville
4th round, #110--John Bowie, CB, Cincinnati
5th round, #138--Jay Richardson, DE, Ohio State
5th round, #165--Eric Frampton, S, Washington State
6th round, #175--Oren O’Neal, RB, Arkansas State
7th round, #254--Jonathan Holland, WR, Louisiana Tech
Other moves: Acquired WR Mike Williams and QB Josh McCown; traded WR Randy Moss
Best pick: Henderson
Worst pick: Bowie
Analysis:
It appears Al Davis finally accepted that his Raiders needed an overhaul, not another facelift. They were very active, moving several picks and slots around to pick the players they wanted. It starts with Russell and his legendary arm strength. I’m not sold on Russell but his physical tools are undeniable, and thanks to the acquisition of McCown, he won’t be thrown to the wolves right away. The Raiders sorely needed an identity and upgrade at QB, and Russell has the highest ceiling of any player in this draft. Even if he eventually flops it’s hard to fault the pick. The rest of their 1st day could be incredibly fruitful.
Miller gives them the sure-handed target they’ve lacked at TE, and he has enough agility to cause matchup problems for lots of LBs. He’s also an underrated blocker. Moses entered the 2006 season as a top 10 overall prospect, but he failed to show progress or lots of drive and emotion. He’s a very athletic pass rusher who can make plays in space, and he’s quite intelligent and humble--good traits for a guy who saw his stock fall and isn’t likely to start for at least a couple of seasons. He’s not a physical fighter and he didn’t stand out in post-season games and workouts, however.
Henderson is quite the opposite of Moses, a guy who surged from the ether into 1st day draft status. His technique is raw and he plays very upright, but he’s a quick study and features a great combination of athleticism and toughness. The Raider OL sorely needs guys like him, and he could very well win a starting job right away, though he’s probably at least a year away from looking comfortable.
The next two picks are the ones that will likely make or break this draft in the long term. Higgins and Bush are both skill position players with loads of skill and Pro Bowl potential. Higgins is a speedster who has shown polished route running and good hands. He also brings value as a return man, and he’s a willing blocker. I’m reminded of Santana Moss when I watch him, and he has the potential to be that good if he works hard and gets stronger.
Bush was, like Moses, a preseason top 15-caliber talent, but a brutal leg injury derailed his junior season. He’s got great size and natural running instincts, and he has shown very good pass catching and blocking ability as well. His extensive injury history is a major issue, however, and some teams found it enough to remove him from their draft boards completely. The Raiders took a good calculated gamble taking Bush with the first Sunday pick; he enters the year #3 on the depth chart and will get time to fully heal and get back into football shape before they need him. If he ever gets 100% healthy and hasn’t lost too much agility or speed from having a titanium tibia, he’s got a chance to be better than the man he’d be replacing, Lamont Jordan.
The rest of their picks don’t make a great deal of sense. Bowie is a project cover man with great speed but almost no actual football skills. He does give another option at PR/KR. Richardson looks to be a serviceable backup DE, a pretty good athlete with some pass rushing skills, though he’s got a fairly low ceiling and will be no higher than 5th on the DE depth chart to start. Of the remaining guys Frampton has the best chance to stick, a big hitter with decent instincts and a thirst for improvement. He’s undersized and neither fast nor quick, however. O’Neal and Holland will have to show something on special teams to make the roster, and neither figures to ever move higher than 4th on the 2-deep position chart.
Grade: B
A team lacking overall talent added as many as 6 eventual quality starters, and Russell has a chance to be something special as a franchise QB. Many of their picks are intelligent, high-character guys who should help turn around a culture of losing. Their last 5 picks all could have been better spent building depth on the OL and LB instead of superfluous skill position athletes. |
