2011 NFL draft in review: Oakland Raiders
Finally the last draft in review post for the year, and the final article I will write about the 2011 draft for a while. It is official folks I can go on vacation after the NFL draft consumed my life for just over six months. Yes, you are free to feel bad for my wife.
So The Oakland Raiders did not have a first round pick, as they traded it to New England in the Richard Seymour trade. That means they had to wait 48th overall pick before making their first selection. While we have to consider what Seymour has brought to the team as part of this class, it is once again time to slam Al Davis a bit.
With their first pick they took C Stefen Wisniewski, and while it was a safe pick at a position of need, no one is going to confuse this kid with his famous Pro Bowl Uncle. He does not have the same skill set, and I see his ceiling as limited. He is also undersized, but the Sporting News is a lot higher on him than I am so maybe this pick works out.
We could also argue that the Raiders have overpaid Seymour and that would certainly bring down their overall grade for this draft. I think bad teams in less than desirable locals have to overpay, and since I live in Detroit who has to overpay just about everyone, I do not hold that against them. Money is money, and Al Davis has enough to overpay a guy who brings as much to the table as Seymour does.
Of course with their second pick, in the third round, the Raiders took a guy who has more speed that any other tangible NFL skill. I really wonder sometimes when AL Davis will give up this antiquated view of talent. Speed is not what matters. It does not matter how fast, a guy wearing little more than underwear, can run 40 yards. Put him in pads and let's see what he can do during in game situations.
DeMarcus Van Dyke was the 81st overall pick, and since The Sporting News had him raked as a fifth round talent this may have been a reach. Kind of funny to say that about a third round pick. The big knocks on him is he is undisciplined in coverage and was even moved to the nickel back spot at Miami. He is your typical Al Davis speed pick, and I don't like it one bit.
With all of that being said let us take a look at the initial grades for the 2011 Raiders draft class:
- Round Two- C+, They needed a center, but I wonder about this one
- Round Three- D, Another speed guy with questionable football skills
- Talent- C, maybe I am wrong but history says I am not
- Need- A, they did need players at both of these spots
- Average- C+, without much hope, but things always can change
Related Links:
