Oakland Raiders' Open Competition: Strong-Side Linebacker

Jon Alston ended last season as the starting SLB and has been taking the first team reps at the position during OTAs. His speed really gave him an edge over Ricky Brown, and the Raiders' defense showed improvement with Alston in the line up.

Alston has mainly been a special teams player but seems to be making his mark as a linebacker. He finished last season with 34 tackles and 1 forced fumble.

Ricky Brown began last as the starting SLB, but injuries slowed him and he lost the job to Jon Alston. Brown finished last season with 37 total tackles and 1 forced fumble. Brown has been a special teamer for the last three years as well.

He has been taking the second team MLB reps during OTAs but he is still a candidate to start at SLB.

Sam Williams has been a not-so-thrilling story since becoming a Raider in 2003.

He was originally drafted as a defensive end but moved to linebacker in 2004. He spent 2003 and 2005 on the injured reserve and has been injured often throughout his career.

He has 99 career total tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT. In 2006, he ran a fumble back for a touchdown in what was probably the biggest highlight of his career.

He has been known to make a difference on the goal-line, but with the thick competition (as rookie Slade Norris is a LB that can also play DE and Stryker Sulak is a DE that may convert to LB) , he may struggle to keep his job since he saw very limited action in 2008.

The five-year vet Isaiah Ekejiuba has been a big key on special teams. He hasn't seen much action at linebacker but has the heart to compete and will be a factor. Part of earning a back up job is being able to play special teams too and that is what has kept Ekejiuba around.

Slade Norris mostly played defensive end in college. He was a fifth-round pick for the Raiders from Oregon State. He is undersized and will likely play linebacker in the NFL.

He started his NCAA career as a linebacker when he was a red shirt freshman and sophomore. He missed most of his RS freshman year due to injuries and had limited playing time as a sophomore.

As a junior he moved to defensive end and started to prevail. Combined in his junior and senior seasons he recorded 19 sacks; sounds like a good pass rusher but needs to be able to do more.

If he makes the team I don't think he'll be more than a special teams player and limited role on defense, but I thought the same thing in 2005 about a third round linebacker named Kirk Morrison, who had led the team in tackles ever since becoming a Raider.

I think he has a better chance at making the team as a linebacker, but fellow rookie Stryker Sulak may be competing with him for a linebacker spot just to make the team.

As I mentioned on my slide show for the DEs, Stryker is not a nickname, it's what is on his birth certificate: Stryker Sulak. Okay, so yeah his first name is Joseph, but he goes by his middle name Stryker. When a guy with a name like that comes around, all you can wonder is "Can he live up to his name?"

How has the former MIssouri Tiger done so far prior to becoming a Raider? How's three-time All Big 12 Honoree for you? How about career best stats as a senior of 55 tackles (29 solo and 15 for losses), 10.5 sacks, NCAA high 6 forced fumbles, 6 passed defended, and six quarterback hurries? I'm impressed.

The fact that his sack total is higher than his QB hurry total tells me that he can get to the quarterback and make the play. Weighing in at only 255 makes it seem like he'd be better off playing linebacker in the NFL, but that the same as what Trevor Scott weighs in at and he did well last year.

Sulak was a sixth-round pick (again like Scott before him) in this year's draft and could end up being a big steal. He will compete mainly for DE but I'm sure he'll try linebacker if that betters his chances at making the team.

Strong versitility will be a major edge if he shows effectiveness at both positions. He is one of my favorites to make the team.

Here is a guy that has been turning heads ever since Raider fans heard he was signed and they watched his film on YouTube.

His name is Frantz Joseph. He joined the Raiders as an undrafted rookie and I can't help but wonder how he went undrafted. He was a middle linebacker in college, but will compete for the SLB position.

He shows tremendous hitting ability and is one of my favorites to end up starting at the end of the season. He may give Kirk Morrison a run for his money in the middle and force him to the outside but you never know.

Joseph had a chance to play for Boston College but opted for Florida Atlantic so he could be closer to his mother who was having health problems.

He set the school record at FAU for career tackles with 346. He holds the top two spots for single season tackles with 154 in 2008 (which was second in the nation) and 131 in 2007.

Joseph could bring back the fierce hitting in the Raider linebacking corps that we remember from the days of Matt Millen, Rod Martin, Ted Hendricks, and so forth. I think he makes the team.

From Brigham Young Univeristy, David Nixon signed with the Raiders as an undrafted rookie. He set a MWC record with 43 tackles for losses and that was from an OLB spot.

He probably has a bigger edge to make the team than most will give him after seeing the way Frantz Joseph hits on film. He was also a team captain and named to the second-team All MWC.

He also earned Academic Honors and that shows that he is very intelligent and should learn quickly. It would be something for this guy to come out of nowhere and make an impact.