2007 Oakland Raider Draft Revisited

It's draft time again, everybody has a mock draft and everyone is announcing their busts already. Lately it seems like everyone is mocking the Raiders previous drafts, including the 2007 draft that included Jamarcus Russell with the first overall pick.

Let's not forget that there were other players chosen that year as well. Here is the list of the players chosen in the 2007 draft by the Raiders.

Round 1. Jamarcus Russell

Round 2. Zach Miller

Round 3.Quentin Moses, Mario Henderson, Johnnie Lee Higgins

Round 4. Michael Bush, John Bowie

Round 5. Jay Richardson, Eric Frampton

Round 6. Oren Oneal

Round 7. Johnathan Holland.

Russell has this  year to show he can be the starter the Raiders drafted him to be. Its been a struggle for Russell up to now, and his work ethic has been questioned. The Raiders lack of stability has hurt Russell's growth, and perhaps he has had too many different coaches trying to teach him how to play. In three years, he's had two head coaches, and four different play callers, the lack of continuity hasn't been good for Russell.

Tight End Zach Miller has been great for the Raiders, and looks like he can be one of the best tight ends in football. He has led the Raiders in receiving two years in a row and is a great asset to the running game.

Johnnie Lee Higgins made a big splash last in 2008 on special teams and made some plays on offense. He has big play ability, and has contributed pretty well. With the additions of Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy to the offense, Higgins has seen his play on offense dwindle, but he is still on the team and is contributing in a positive way.

Mario Henderson had a strong 2008 campaign late in the season, and his strong play helped Russell and the Raiders offense. He is now the starting left tackle for the Raiders. He is a solid player, and is capable of doing big things as part of the offensive line.

Michael Bush is a big strong gifted back who can and should be the work horse for the Raiders. He was the only back to reach 100 yards for the Raiders this last season. He is capable of taking a game over with his running style. With him and Mcfadden in the backfield, I can see Bush becoming a major part of the Raiders offense for years to come.

Jay Richardson has been used as a situational pass rusher in the Raiders defense. He's had seven sacks as a Raider, and appears to be getting better each year.

Oren Oneal was a starter at Full Back before getting hurt earlier this season. He has size and strength, and that makes him an ideal fullback for a team that is looking to become a run dominant team. He should be the starter in 2010 if he is fully healthy.

Overall the 2007 draft for the Raiders has the potential to be a solid draft. If Russell shows up and plays like he should, and Henderson becomes a force on the O line, we'll be able to look back and say this was one heck of a year.

Luckily for the Raiders, its safe to say that Miller was a great pick, and Bush will most likely be a great pick as well. The 2010 season will say a lot about the 2007 draft, only time will tell how great of a draft this was for the Raiders.