Oakland Raiders: Taking a Look at Each 2011 Raider Draftee

Playmaking deep threat Denarius Moore.
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The 2011 Oakland Raiders draft class will be under heavy scrutiny as soon as the season starts. It has high expectations—most are hoping the players selected by Oakland in 2011 will contribute to a Super Bowl run in the near future.

Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders had, by all accounts, an above average draft. Surprisingly, they weren't a team with too many glaring needs and seemingly focused on boom-or-bust prospects.

With the NFL lockout lasting four months, Raider fans across the globe have had plenty of time to debate about which direction the franchise is going.

One topic that hasn't been talked about much is the players who Oakland drafted.

Sure, fans have talked about how the players could be inserted into the roster, but nobody has discussed the true dynamics of these youngsters.

I will do so in this article.

Alright, here we go.

Stefen Wisniewski, Center (48th Overall)

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Height: 6'3"

Weight: 313 pounds

Pros: Wisniewski has the ability to be a top center in the National Football League for years. He excels at technique and work ethic—something very important for a player who plays such a vital position on the offensive line.

"Wiz II" has an NFL pedigree—his uncle is a Raider legend and his father had a solid career in college, as well as a brief stint in the pros. He's also one of the smartest football players in the league, earning honors at Penn State.

Whatever he lacks in size, he surely makes up for in intelligence, toughness and, overall, his hardworking mentality.

Cons: My main concern about Wiz has been, and always will be, his size, or lack thereof. Wisniewski weighed in at 313 pounds at the combine, which is solid for a center. However, his playing weight in college was much closer to 300 pounds.

The solution obviously is for Wiz to gain more weight; muscle weight to be exact. I have my doubts that his true weight is 313.

With the Raiders switching to a power scheme, we need big guys on the offensive line.

Another cause for concern is strength. I watched some film and Wiz got manhandled by the bigger Alabama defensive linemen.

Conclusion: If Wisniewski can bulk up a bit and handle the bigger nose tackles in this league, he'll have no problem adjusting to the pace of the NFL.

With his smarts and technique, I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting for the next 12 years.

DeMarcus Van Dyke, Cornerback (81st Overall)

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Height: 6'1"

Weight: 180 pounds

40 time: 4.28

Pros: Blazing speed and adequate height. Van Dyke has the height and overall skill-set to excel in the Raiders' man scheme. He also shows aptitude and willingness to learn.

He is a special teams ace with tons of potential to be a No. 1 cornerback in the NFL. Despite size, provides excellent run support. Exceptional ball skills.

Cons: Van Dyke is grossly undersized and, despite his work ethic, doesn't seem to quite grasp the cornerback position just yet. Has trouble with his footwork and technique.

Could take two or three years to fully develop and reach his vast potential.

Conclusion: I wasn't too happy with this selection, and it won't pay its dividends until a couple years. However, if Van Dyke can reach his full potential, this will be considered a steal.

With Rod Woodson coaching him up, I feel pretty comfortable in saying that Van Dyke will start in 2012/2013. However, don't expect to see him on the field much in 2011, save for special teams.

Joseph Barksdale, Offensive Tackle (92nd Overall)

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Height: 6'6"

Weight: 318 pounds

Pros: Excellent all-around offensive lineman. Barksdale displays an impressive finesse pass-blocking style, and is more than adequate when run-blocking. Has no injury concerns to speak of. Actually, he had the most consecutive starts by any player on the team in 2010.

He has experience at right and left tackle and can compete with the best; he started for three years in the SEC.

Very versatile; he can play any position on the line except for center.

Cons: Footwork issues, sometimes takes plays off. I would definitely like to see a bit more from Barksdale when it comes to run-blocking. He could surely be tougher; I want to see a mean streak.

There are also questions about his concentration in games. All of these issues can be fixed with good coaching, something the Raiders now have.

Conclusion: I'm extremely high on Joseph Barksdale. He started at right tackle for two years before switching to left tackle in his senior season. Something tells me he can be special if he puts the work in.

I think this guy has "consistent starter for years to come" written all over him.

Chimdi Chekwa, Cornerback (113th Overall)

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Height: 6'0"

Weight: 191 pounds

40 time: 4.40

Pros: Chekwa is well-built and has impressive ball skills. His 4.4 speed is obviously a plus. Something I really like about him is the versatility: he could come in and be the No. 2 cornerback, or switch to free safety.

Chimdi is very well coached, coming from Ohio State. Also has solid arm length, but it's not great. Knows how to play the ball when it's in the air.

Cons: Chekwa suffered a broken wrist in the Sugar Bowl back in January. Any broken bone is a cause for concern. Also, he isn't necessarily the tallest corner in the universe. Could refine his skills a bit more, obviously.

Other than that, there isn't much to pick at.

Conclusion: Chekwa was one of the biggest steals in the draft, in my opinion. He's a better overall prospect than Van Dyke and was even projected by some to be picked by the Raiders two rounds earlier.

If he can heal well and learn the dynamics of the corner position, he has a shot to start opposite of Stanford Routt.

Taiwan Jones, Running Back (125th Overall)

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Height: 6'0"

Weight: 195 pounds

40 time: 4.33

Pros: Taiwan Jones is explosive, playmaking and all around a dangerous weapon on offense. His world-class speed adds a whole other dimension to Oakland's offense, providing a spark if Darren McFadden gets tired.

Jones can, and will, return punts.

He can catch out of the backfield and his size will allow him to kick out to wide receiver on some formations.

Cons: Injury issues. Plain and simple. If Jones can stay healthy, he'll be special.

Conclusion: Jones lit up Division II football. He has trumped dyslexia and is now a professional football player. Expected to be selected in Round 3, the Raiders ended up stealing Jones in the fourth.

If he fixes his durability issues, Jones will be a true weapon for the Raiders.

Denarius Moore, Wide Receiver (148th Overall)

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Height: 6'1"

Weight: 195 pounds

40 time: 4.4

Pros: Moore was one of the best deep threats in all of college football last year, averaging an unheard of 21-yards-per-catch. He also caught nine touchdown passes in 2010.

Moore has good speed and excellent hands, especially in traffic. His ability to make big plays on a stagnant Tennessee offense is a testament to his immense talent.

Cons: Moore could be a better blocker. Also, he has some trouble with route running. Other than that, he's solid.

Conclusion: I'm really stumped as to how a third-round prospect fell to the fifth, but I'll take it. Moore is a perfect fit for the Raider's vertical passing offense and could be a surprise playmaker in 2011.

Richard Gordon, Tight End (181st Overall)

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Height: 6'4"

Weight: 265 pounds

Pros: Gordon is a freak of nature and an excellent blocker. His size and athleticism definitely impresses.

I've also heard about his great work ethic and maturity. As DeMarcus Van Dyke said, "Rich, man, he's a freak."

Cons: Is not a pass-catcher, only started 10 games for Miami. Needs to be more polished. A project.

Conclusion: Gordon was a selection that stumped many, but I liked it. Hue Jackson runs multiple tight-end sets and Oakland needed a blocking tight end to compliment Zach Miller. Gordon is just that.

David Ausberry, Wide Receiver/Tight End (241st Overall)

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 235 pounds

40 time: 4.5

Pros: Ausberry is a huge target for quarterback Jason Campbell, and is also very versatile. He's a big, imposing figure who is a solid blocker.

He's got surprisingly soft hands for a big guy and will definitely be a solid red-zone target.

Cons: Needs to be more productive.

Conclusion: Ausberry is an extremely underrated prospect and hopefully he'll resurrect Oakland's stagnant red-zone offense.

Conclusion

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Overall, this 2011 draft class will be a good one for the Raiders. It definitely wasn't as good as 2010, but still is respectable. Tell me what you think below.