2011 NFL Draft: Who Would Have the Oakland Raiders Have Drafted?

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If the Oakland Raiders still had an NFL Draft Pick, where would they be looking to use it?

In order to land Richard Seymour, the Oakland Raiders traded away what’s turned out to be the 17th pick in the draft this year.

Fittingly, that's a selection the Patriots may now spend on a Richard Seymour-type, but what if the Raiders still had it? What position would they be looking to fill?

From Kevin Roberts of the very awesome NFL Soup:

“The Raiders could be headed to some seriously stormy waters, as their already suspect offensive line could lose guard Robert Gallery to free agency, and could lose more offensive linemen to that same fate. They need to finally suck it up and target solid offensive line prospects at tackle, guard, and center, unless they can reel some of their talent back in.”

And there’s your answer, because this is clearly where Raider demand and collegiate supply overlap – there are a number of tackle prospects slated to go mid-first round. Solder, Smith, Castonzo and Carimi. Sherrod is good too, but maybe not at the 17th pick.

The argument for something else would have to include a corner (in the wake of Nnamdi Asomugha’s departure), and there would only be an argument if Jimmy Smith was on the board.

So that’s a fun little hypothetical.

Seymour was very good for the Raiders last year, registering 48 tackles and 6 sacks, but I do have to wonder, for two seasons which scored a combined 13 victories...was it worth it?

Was/is Richard Seymour’s twilight worth the 17th pick in the draft?

It’s a tough question that I’d have to answer yes.

Because I’m pretty sure the Raiders would have taken Torrey Smith.

(Check out prognosticator extraordinaire Matt Miller’s updated First-Round Mock.)

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