The day we have been waiting for is finally upon us– The 2010 NFL draft is finally here. The Raiders have had so many different predictions as to who they will draft at #8 overall that it is mindboggling. It will be nice to finally get it over with and end the rampant speculation. That is unless the Raiders they make another tremendous reach (09 Darrius Heyward-Bey) or draft a hype player at a position they don’t need (08 Darren McFadden). But I don’t see that happening. Mainly because there are a lot of good players on the board and the Raiders have a lot of needs to fill.
There are really only a couple of names that keep popping up in regards to the Raiders that send a collective chill across the spines of the Raider Nation– Bruce Campbell and Taylor Mays. But I do not think that either of these players will be Raiders. Not even with the 39th pick. As for Mays; the Raiders drafted Huff with the 7th overall pick in 06 and they won’t do it again. And Campbell? Well, this idea that Al Davis loves his workout warriors has NEVER applied to the offensive tackle position so there is no reason whatsoever to think that he will reach for Campbell.
So with those two scary busts-waiting-to-happen out of the way, here is who i project as being at the top of the Raiders’ Draft Board:
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Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska |
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Gerald McCoy DT, Oklahoma |
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Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State |
| Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma |
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Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama |
| Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho |
| Brian Bulaga, OT, Iowa |
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Joe Haden, CB, Florida |
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Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee |
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Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers |
| CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson |
This very page will be a live blog during the draft so come back and check often or stay awhile. I will be updating it all day leading up to the draft as well as during the draft.
TFDS’ own Patrick Patterson will be at Raider headquarters during the draft and he will be sending back constant information as soon as he hears it. I will be posting live up-to-the-second new information as the draft progresses. Our guest contributor, Bret Armstrong, will also be checking in with his thoughts on things as it happens. Readers can treat the comment box like a forum and I will respond to any questions you might have, either in the blog itself or in the comment box.
–To start off with; Raiders have traded the lower of their two 5th round selection to the Jacksonville Jaguars for DE/LB Quentin Groves. This after having traded the lower of their two 3rd round selections to the Browns for DE/LB Kamerion Wimbley. Prompting many to speculate that the Raiders may well be switching to a 3-4 defense this season.
–Reports are coming out that RB Darren McFadden is available for a draft day trade. This is a move that I reported on nearly a month ago. Simply because he has value to a team that can use him properly. If the reports are true, McFadden joins linebackers Kirk Morrison and Thomas Howard as Raiders on the block.
–Rumor has it the Lions are interested in Darren McFadden with their 3rd round selection if Cal RB Jahvid Best is not available when they make their pick in the 2nd round. Another scenario has the Raiders swapping picks with the Lions to move up to pick #2.
— A Raider spokesperson has come out and denied that the Raiders are indeed shopping McFadden. The Raiders apparently also called McFadden and assured him he was not on the trading block. Let the games begin continue.
— Reportedly the Chiefs are looking to move out of the #5 spot in the first round. This could simply be based on the fact that the Chiefs are trying to be Patriots 2.0 with their ex-Pat GM as well as members of the coaching staff. The Pats have long been known to trade down to stockpile draft picks and Scott Pioli could take a page out of that book. If they do trade out of that slot, the landscape may change a great deal for the Raiders as well as other teams whose selections come afterward.
–On a side note, Kiper and McShay are a riot. There is a reason why ESPN keeps them in two seperate locations. McShay looks like he is ready to throw down and Kipers’ big haired head look like it is going to explode. All about which of them will be more wrong about where a player will be drafted.
— Mike Holmgren of the Browns has said he would offer as much as every one of the Browns picks this season as well as possibly picks in next year’s draft to move up to the #1 pick. This move would be reminiscent of the highly criticized move that Mike Ditka made in trading away the entire Saints draft to move up and get Ricky Williams. Holmgren has been speaking with the Rams a lot in the past few minutes. The Rams have rejected any notion of trading out of the top slot up to this point.
4:30pm PT. The 2010 NFL Draft begins….
— Here we go. The St Louis Rams are on the clock
–*PICK* With the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the St Louis Rams select:
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
–And so, the pick that we all expected to happen for at least the last month, has come to pass. The Rams get a quarterback after passing on a quarterback with their last three high picks. They were holding out to see if Bulger could rebound. He couldn’t, they released him and have their new QB of the future.
–*PICK* With the 2nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select:
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
–Still no surprises. The Lions have been terrible against the run for the past few years. Giving up more TDs than any other team in the NFL. Suh is the perfect choice here. Best player in this draft.
–*PICK* With the 3rd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select:
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
— One, Two, Three; no surprises. There is no arguing McCoy is the second best DT in this draft and the expected third player off the board.
–Now is when it gets a little more unpredictable. This pick will most likely be an offensive tackle. Either Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung or Oklahoma’s Trent Williams taken next by the Redskins.
–*PICK* With the 4th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select:
Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
—Was predicted by some to go to the ‘Skins because his athleticism makes him ideal for the zone blocking scheme that Shanahan runs.
–Trent Williams is a player that the Raiders no doubt had high on their list. Perhaps the highest OT for the same reason– because of his athleticism and the zone blocking scheme that the Raiders run. However, this leaves Okung still on the board. I don’t see the Chiefs taking him with the next pick. If the Seahawks pass on him with the 6th pick, he will likely be on the board when the Raiders pick which would be a steal.
–*PICK* With the 5th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select:
Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
–So Berry lives up to the hype and goes 5th overall.
–On a side note, I am 3 of 4 correct picks on my Mock Draft 4.0
–Seahawks are expected to take an offensive tackle here which would be Russell Okung or perhaps Brian Bulaga. However, they also need a running back and CJ Spiller looks enticing at this pick. If Spiller is the pick, the Raiders war room should be celebrating at the prospect of Okung falling to them at #8.
–*PICK* With the 6th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select:
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
–Can’t pass up on Okung. He was projected as the best OT in this draft and the Hawks count themselves lucky to get him. After having Aaron Curry unexpectedly fall to them in last year’s draft, they must be livin’ right. Although not right enough to field a team that gets them out of the top six picks in the draft.
–This leaves Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Iowa’s Brian Bulaga as the last two top flight OT left in this draft. The wildcard is Idaho’s Mike Iupati who many have contemplated whether the Raiders will draft the guard and try to convert him to tackle.
— The Browns will be drafting a corner with this pick. That corner will be Florida’s Joe Haden. Anything else is a smokescreen. Unless they decide to trade the pick.
–*PICK* With the 7th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select:
Joe Haden, CB, Florida
–You typically take the best corner in any draft in the top ten. Haden is the best in this draft, end of story.
–FINALLY the Raiders are on the clock!!
–Gruden ducked the question about who made the picks in the Raiders war room. Hmmm…
–*PICK* With the 8th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select:
Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
—YES! The first good pick for the Raiders since….I don’t know, 2003? I had the Raiders taking him in my Mock 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 until I changed it to Trent Williams. Williams was gone so McClain is the natural and PERFECT choice here. He was also the next player on my projected draft board. Morrison is out, McClain is in OR the Raiders are indeed switching to the 3-4 and they keep Morrison to play the other inside LB position.
–Of COURSE Mel Kiper immediately says the Raiders reached for McClain just because they didn’t choose who he had predicted they would
–Ok, I blacked out what happened?
–*PICK* With the 9th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select:
CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
–*PICK* With the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select:
Tyson Alualu, DT, California
–*TRADE* The Denver Broncos have traded the 11th overall selection to the 49ers. The Broncos move down to the 13th pick.
— I can’t help but think that the Broncos were holding out for Rolando McClain and when the Raiders took him, they traded out of the spot. So the pick of McClain also keeps him from their rival Broncos. Just warms the cockles of the heart doesn’t it?
–*PICK* With the 11th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select:
Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
–*TRADE* The Miami Dolphins have traded the 12th overall selection to the Chargers.
–*PICK* With the 12th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select:
Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
–Chargers clearly jumped up in a trade because they thought the Seahawks would take Ryan Mathews. And they were probably right.
–*TRADE* The Denver Broncos have traded the 13th overall selection to the Philadelphia Eagles.
–*PICK* With the 13th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select:
Brandon Graham, LB, Michigan
–*PICK* With the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select:
Earl Thomas, S, Texas
–This is clearly a situation of picking the best player available. Thomas was expected to go sooner than this pick. The Seahawks are desperate for a running back but with Spiller and Mathews off the board, they are thinking they can pick one up in the 2nd round. This is very smart pick.
–There are still a lot of great players on the board. DE Derrick Morgan, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, WR Dez Bryant, DT Dan Williams and DT Brian Price to name a few.
–Ryan Mathews and Tyson Alualu were not projected by most to go in the first round which means that there will be a few first round products available in the 2nd round.
–*PICK* With the 15th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select:
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
–Well, he was around longer than most thought he would. The Giants get their guy for sure. Osi Umenyiora was looking like he was on his way out and Peirre-Paul ushers him out the door. Look for the Giants to move Umenyiora for a mid-low round pick in this draft.
–*PICK* With the 16th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select:
Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
–The Titans are desperate for a DE after losing Kyle Vanden Bosch in free agency. I don’t think they thought the arguable best DE in this draft would fall to them at the 16th pick…but I did.
–*PICK* With the 17th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select:
Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
–*PICK* With the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers select:
Maurkice Pouncey, C/G, Florida
— This is a guy that a lot of Raider fans were hoping would fall to the 2nd round. Not to be. The Raiders have greater needs than Center or Guard anyway. Satele really came into his own by mid-season and Carlisle and Gallery are both solid guards. Tackle is the Raiders’ highest priority now.
–*PICK* With the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Atlanta Falcons select:
Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
–Kiper just summoned the name of Stryker Sulak when speaking of defensive players from Missouri. (shudder)
–*PICK* With the 20th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Houston Texans select:
Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
–This pick looks like a bit of a reach but it is hard to say for sure. Boise State CB Kyle Wilson was expected to go around this spot while Jackson was considered by most as a round 2 or 3 pick. But as they say, it only takes one team to think otherwise.
–*PICK* With the 21st overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Cincinnati Bengals select:
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
–And the “Dizzle Pat-himself-on-the-back tour” continues as he scores another correct pick from his mock draft. As I said in the mock “Gresham gives them an underneath receiver to free up Ocho Cinco and Bryant. His stock was uncertain due to the injury that kept him out nearly his entire senior season. But he removed a lot of doubt by placing among the top five fastest receivers in the 40 yard dash at the combine.”
–*TRADE* The New England Patriots have traded the 22nd overall selection to the Denver Broncos.
–*PICK* With the 22nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Denver Broncos select:
DeMaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
–While it is surprising that Dez Bryant is not chosen before Thomas, it is no surprise the Broncos make this pick. After the Brandon Marshall debacle, they don’t want another possible problem child at receiver.
–*PICK* With the 23rd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers select:
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
–The Packers re-signed Chad Clifton this offseason but the three year contract he signed is set up as a one year deal and protects the Packers against injuries. So it is obvious they don’t see Clifton as the solution after this season. Bulaga was projected higher than #4 pick Trent Williams by many. The Packers got a great pick here.
–The Pats pick next. They could go with a player like Texas LB/DE Sergio Kindle, Tennessee DT Dan Williams, or Penn State DE/DT Jeff Odrick. Also with the Pats tendency to trade down that possibility is always in play. Look for the possibility that the Raiders could trade up into the 1st round and the Pats are a possible suitor.
–*TRADE* The New England Patriots have traded the 23rd overall selection to the Dallas Cowboys.
–No sooner to I mention the Pats as a team that likes to trade down but they trade down with the Cowboys.
–*PICK* With the 24th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Dallas Cowboys select:
Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
—The Cowboys are amazed at their luck in Bryant being available at this point. This is definitive proof that they don’t see Roy Williams as their guy at receiver. Man, the Cowboys should just steer clear of anyone named Roy Williams. That means the head coach of the North Carolina basketball team should not be an option in the future.
–Problem here is with the Cowboys desperate need at offensive tackle. That means that a player like USC’s Charles Brown could be available when the Raiders pick in the 2nd round.
–*TRADE* The Baltimore Ravens have traded the 25th overall selection to the Denver Broncos.
–*PICK* With the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Denver Broncos select:
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
–Damn, I really wanted to root for Tim Tebow to succeed but not with him in a Bronco uniform.
–So much for all the Brady Quinn Jimmy Clausen hype.
–So Tebow goes from Florida to Colorado. He’ll “either surf or ski.”
–*PICK* With the 26th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Arizona Cardinals select:
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
–Just when Raider fans started to salivate over the possibility of trading into the first round to get this big DT, he goes to the Cards. There are very few players of his size and talent in this draft. The Raiders almost never draft big tackles this high. They prefer to find them as undrafted free agents (Tommy Kelly, Grady Jackson) or sign them off the free agent scrap heap (Gerard Warren, William Joseph).
— Dan Williams was the final player I had on the Raiders first round draft board. After the first round, I will put together a second and third round draft board for tomorrow’s live blog.
–*PICK* With the 27th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, New England Patriots select:
Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
–The Pats makes an Al Davis type pick here with McCourty. They reach for a guy that rose up draft boards due to his 4.38 40 yard dash at the combine. But the Pats won’t get any heat for making the pick. The Raiders would be skewered and hung out to dry. Hell, Kiper went after the Raiders for taking McClain, saying it was a reach (throw arms up).
–*PICK* With the 28th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select:
Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State
–The best 3-4 defensive end in this draft. He has the size of a DT with the speed of a DE pass rush specialist. He has shot up draft boards this offseason with a great senior bowl and then thrilling in workouts.
–*PICK* With the 29th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select:
Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
–Great player, stupid pick. The Jets had Darrelle Revis already. Then they trade for Antonio Cromartie. Where is this guy going to go? Do they switch Cromartie to safety? Hmm…
–Minnesota is up next. I have had them taking Clausen since the beginning and I stand by that. Whether Favre comes back or not, they will need a QB of the future. Look how well Aaron Rodgers turned out after sitting behind Favre for three years?
–*TRADE* The Minnesota Vikings have traded the 30th overall selection to the Detroit Lions.
–Looks like the Vikes think they can get Clausen in the early 2nd because the Lions’ 34th pick was what they traded down to.
–*PICK* With the 30th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select:
Jahvid Best, RB, California
–I mentioned near the beginning of this blog that the Lions had their eyes on Jahvid Best and if they couldn’t get him, they would try to trade for Darren McFadden. Well, they jump up and make sure they get Best here.
–*PICK* With the 31st overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select:
Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU
–The Colts biggest need was defensive end. Hughes was seen as a hybrid DE/OLB but the Colts apparently like his pass rushing enough to take him above the likes of USC’s Everson Griffen and Texas DE/LB Sergio Kindle.
–*PICK* With the 32nd overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select:
Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
–With the patchwork quilt the Saints had at corner last season, this pick makes a lot of sense. Robinson squeaks into the first round and doesn’t have to go far from Tallahasee to New Orleans to play for the Saints.
The First Round is now over. Thanks to everyone who spent the first round of the draft with us as it all unfolded. Be sure and come back tomorrow for the 2nd and 3rd round live blog. My fingers will catch fire before that day is done.
For now, my fingers are not done. Patrick just finished at the Rolando McClain press conference and interviews. Time to get to that. Congrats to the Raider Nation and not getting another freak athlete with no real talent or heart.
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