Overall, it has been a pretty terrible decade for the Raiders. It started out great but after the first two seasons, it went terribly arry. Much of the stumbling the Raiders had during this decade can be attributed to their drafts. Most importantly, their first round picks.
I have tallied up the Raiders draft picks by round and year and have come up with some grades. My grading system was based on a few different factors. The higher the round, the more is expected of a player and therefore, more harsh the grading. Anything more than expected, will get an “A”. Anything less than what is expected, the grade will go down accordingly.
Here is basically how it breaks down:
A first round player is expected to be a Pro Bowl calibre player.
A second and third rounder should be a solid, long time starter.
A fourth and fifth rounder should be solid depth, compete for the starting position and play more than five seasons.
A sixth and seventh rounder, is expected to make the team and play a few seasons.
And yes I realize that it is early to judge the last class. These grades are based on what we have seen so far. They will likely change for better or worse in the coming years.
2011
2. Stefen Wisniewski………………………….A
3. DeMarcus Van Dyke………………………..B
3. Joseph Barksdale……………………………B-
4. Chimdi Chekwa……………………………..C
4. Taiwan Jones………………………………..C
5. Denarius Moore……………………………..A+
6. Richard Gordon……………………………..C+
7. David Ausberry………………………………C
2010
1. Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama…………….C
2. Lamarr Houstin, DE, Texas………………….B+
3. Jared Veldheer, OT, Hillsdale College…….A
4a. Bruce Campbell, OL, Maryland……………F
4b. Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson………………..A
5. Walter McFadden, CB, Auburn……………..F
6. Travis Goethel, LB, Arizona State………….B
7a. Jeremy Ware, DB, Michigan State……….D
7b. Stevie Brown, S, Michigan…………………C-
Total…………………………………………………………C
Best Pick: Jared Veldheer, Rd 3
Worst pick: Bruce Campbell, Rd 4
2009
1. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland……D+
2. Mike Mitchell, S, Ohio University………….D
3. Matt Shaughnessy, DE Wisconsin………..A+
4a. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida……………….A
4b. Slade Norris, LB, Oregon State………….F
6a. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri………………F
6b. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa…………………B
Total…………………………………………………….. D
Best Pick: Matt Shaughnessy, Rd 3
Worst pick: Mike Mitchell, Rd 2
2008
1. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas…………..C+
4a. Tyvon Branch, DB, Connecticut……………A+
4b. Arman Shields, WR, Richmond……………F
6. Trevor Scott, DE, Buffalo…………………….A
7. Chaz Schilens, WR, San Diego State……..B+
Total………………………………………………………… B
Best Pick: Tyvon Branch, Rd 4
Worst Pick: Arman Shields, Rd 4
2007
1. JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU………………….. F
2. Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State……………….A
3a. Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia………………. F
3b. Mario Henderson, OL, Florida State………D
3c. Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR, UTEP……………C-
4a. Michael Bush, RB, Louisville………………..A
4b. John Bowie, CB, Cincinnati………………….F
5a. Jay Richardson, DE, Ohio State……………B
5b. Eric Frampton, S, Washington State……. F
6. Oren O’Neal, FB, Arkansas State……………B
7. Jonathan Holland, WR, Louisiana Tech…….C
Total………………………………………………………….. C-
Best Pick: Zach Miller, Rd 2
Worst Pick: JaMarcus Russell, Rd 1
2006
1. Michael Huff, S, Texas……………………….. B-
2. Thomas Howard, LB, Texas-El Paso………..B-
3. Paul McQuistan, OL, Weber State…………..C
4. Darnell Bing, S, USC……………………………F
6. Kevin Boothe, OL, Cornell……………………..C
7a. Chris Morris, C, Michigan State…………….B
7b. Kevin McMahan, WR, Maine…………………F
Total……………………………………………………… C-
Best Pick: Thomas Howard, Rd 2
Worst Pick: Darnell Bing, Rd 3
2005
1. Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska………D
2. Stanford Routt, CB, Houston……………..A
3a. Andrew Walter, QB, Arizona State…….C
3b. Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State…….A
6a. Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin………D
6b. Ryan Riddle, LB, California……………….D
6c. Pete McMahon, OT, Iowa ………………..C
Total……………………………………………………… C-
Best Pick: Kirk Morrison, Rd 3
Worst Pick: Fabian Washington, Rd 1
2004
1. Robert Gallery, OT, Iowa…………………………… C+
2. Jake Grove, C, Virginia Tech………………………. C
3. Stuart Schweigert, S, Purdue……………………… C-
4. Carlos Francis, WR, Texas Tech………………….. F
5. Johnnie Morant, WR, Syracuse……………………. F
6a. Shawn Johnson, DE, Delaware………………….. F
6b. Cody Spencer, LB, North Texas………………….. F
7a. Courtney Anderson, TE, San Jose State…………B+
Total…………………………………………………………….. D
Best Pick: Courtney Anderson, Rd 7
Worst Pick: Carlos Francis, Rd 4
2003
1a. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB, California……. A+
1b. Tyler Brayton, DE, Colorado……………….. C
2. Teyo Johnson, TE, Stanford…………………. D
3a. Sam Williams, DE, Fresno State……….. C+
3b. Justin Fargas, RB, USC……………………… A
4. Shurron Pierson, LB, South Florida……… D
5. Doug Gabriel, WR, Central Florida………. B-
6. Dustin Rykert, OT, BYU…………………………. F
7a. Sideeq Shabazz, S, New Mexico State…C
7b. Ryan Hoag, WR Gustavus Adolphus….. F
Total…………………………………………………………. C+
Best Pick: Nnamdi Asomugha, Rd 1
Worst Pick: Teyo Johnson, Rd 2
2002
1a. Phillip Buchanon, CB, Miami, Fla……. D
1b. Napoleon Harris, LB, Northwestern…C
2a. Langston Walker, OL, California………B
2b. Doug Jolley, TE, BYU………………………. B-
5. Kenyon Coleman, DE, UCLA…………….. D
6a. Keyon Nash, DB, Albany State (Ga.)…D
6b. Larry Ned, RB, San Diego State………. F
7. Ronald Curry, QB, North Carolina …….. A
Total………………………………………………………. D
Best pick: Ronald Curry, Rd 7
Worst Pick: Phillip Buchanon, Rd 1
2001
1. Derrick Gibson, S, Florida State……………… F
2. Marques Tuiasosopo, QB Washington….. D
3. DeLawrence Grant, DE, Oregon State……. B
5. Raymond Perryman, S, Northern Arizona…F
6. Chris Cooper, DE, Nebraska-Omaha…….. B
7a. Derek Combs, RB, Ohio State……………… D
7b. Ken-Yon Rambo, WR, Ohio State…………. F
Total……………………………………………………………. D-
Best Pick: DeLawrence Grant, Rd 3
Worst Pick: Derrick Gibson, Rd 1
2000
1. Sebastian Janikowski, K, Florida State… A-
2. Jerry Porter, WR, West Virginia…………….. C
4. Junior Ioane, DT, Arizona State…………….. B-
5. Shane Lechler, P, Texas A&M………………. A+
7a. Mondriel Fulcher, TE, Miami (Fla.)……… C
7b. Clifton Black, DB, S.W. Texas State……. F
Total…………………………………………………………. B-
Best pick: Shane Lechler, Rd 5
Worst Pick: Clifton Black, Rd 7b
Overall grade for Drafts from 2000-2009:…C
Best Draft Year: 2000
Worst Draft Year: 2001
————————————————————-
By position:
CB- 7 picks, C
DE- 12 picks, C
DT- 2 picks, C-
FB- 1 pick, B
K- 1 pick, A-
LB- 9 picks, C-
OL- 11 picks, C
P- 1 pick, A+
QB- 3 picks, F
RB- 5 picks, C-
S- 12 picks, D
TE- 6 picks, C+
WR- 15 picks, C-
Best Position: Tight end
Worst Position: Quarterback
Best Picks:
1. Shane Lechler, 2000
2. Nnamdi Asomugha, 2003
3. Zach Miller, 2007
4. Michael Bush, 2007
5. Tyvon Branch, 2008
6. Sebastian Janikowski, 2000
7. Justin Fargas, 2003
9. Chaz Schilens, 2008
10. Louis Murphy, 2009
11. Kirk Morrison, 2005
12. Jacoby Ford, 2010
13. Lamarr Houston, 2010
Biggest Steals:
1. Michael Bush, Rd 4, 2007
2. Tyvon Branch, Rd 4, 2008
3. Louis Murphy, Rd 4, 2009
4. Chaz Schilens, Rd 7, 2008
5. Trevor Scott, Rd 6, 2008
6. Ronald Curry, Rd 7, 2002
7. Oren O’Neal, Rd 6, 2007
8. Jacoby Ford, Rd 4, 2010
Biggest Busts:
1. JaMarcus Russell, Rd 1, 2007
2. Derrick Gibson, Rd 1, 2001
3. Quentin Moses, Rd 3, 2007
4. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Rd 1, 2009
5. Phillip Buchanon, Rd 1, 2002
6. Fabian Washington, Rd 1, 2005
Observations:
The grades are out for the 2010 rookies and early indications are that could be one of the best drafts the Raiders have had for a while. But it is early yet to know that for sure. Whether that will hold true will have to wait until after next season.
With the later round picks of Tyvon Branch, Trevor Scott and Chaz Shilens, the 2008 draft was an outstanding one. Darren McFadden had a breakout season in 2010 but at the time he was drafted, it was an unwise choice. The team was overstocked with solid running backs and they had just drafted Michael Bush the year prior. He was a first round product but fell to the fourth round because of a leg injury that kept him out his entire rookie season. Fargas was also on the team along with several other running backs. Despite this glut of backs, along with the team being in desperate need of upgrading the lines, Al Davis goes for his speed guy in McFadden. Bush was the had been the been back on the team the two seasons prior to last season.
Robert Gallery earns a “C” grade despite being a fine left guard. This has to do with the fact that he was drafted with the second overall pick as a left tackle. He was considered a bust at tackle and was moved to guard. Just when he was starting to get positive mention, he got injured and was out for nearly all of last season. If he could find his way into the Pro Bowl conversation, his grade will rise but he is still responsible for the Raiders’ lack of a solid left tackle and that will keep him from earning an “A” in my book.
The Raiders’ worst seasons in this decade occurred two seasons after they had a terrible draft. The worst drafts were 2001, and 2004. Two seasons after each of those drafts, the Raiders had two of their worst seasons– going 4-12 in 2003 and 2-14 in 2006. Likewise, their 2002 Super Bowl season happened two years after their best draft in 2000. Based on that pattern, I predicted that, after a great 2008 draft, the 2010 season would be a good one. That pattern indeed held true as the 2010 season was the best in 8 years.
In eight of the eleven drafts, the best picks came in rounds 3, 4 or 5. In six of those seven drafts, the first round pick received either a D or and F grade.
The worst position group drafted is quarterback. The three picks were Marques Tuiasosopo, Andrew Walter, and JaMarcus Russell. None of them were able to play well enough to earn and/or keep the starting job. This means that the last quarterback the Raiders drafted that played well for them was Ken Stabler in 1968. So yeah, it’s been a while.
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