Can The Oakland Raiders Do The Quarter Mile in Under Nine Seconds? (Part Two)

Thanks for the useful feedback and informative comments. This will conclude the two part compilation on what the Oakland Raiders need to address in the draft to break the cycle of bad draft choices. To repeat the same thing over and over and expect different results, by definition is...insanity.

In the last article, I used the analogy of a race car in comparison to an NFL team. Both are made up of separate components and perform at their highest level when they interact cohesively as one. If you neglect any one component, you compromise the sum of their parts.

It was brought to my attention that there are some of you that believe we do not have a  second round draft pick. I am happy to say we do, we just don't have a fifth rounder this year.

So we now have a motor (Offensive Line) that won't throw a rod (Sack) because of all the horsepower (RB's) we have. We also improved a full second by replacing the outdated suspension (31st against the run) with a race proven model (DT) and by adjusting our front and rear spoilers to provide better traction and power (MLB).

We can now focus on a winning combination of tires and wheels to shift that power to the ground and keep it there with out loosing control. This is where a wide receiver comes to play. Although I have high hopes for our young wide outs, the need at this position is much too important not to address at this point.

I'm of the opinion that a possession receiver is what is needed to compliment our speedy wide outs who can stretch the field. It’s hard to say who will be available at this spot, but Brandon Gibson from Washington State or Derrick Williams from Penn State are both considered excellent possession type wide outs.

Weight reduction is comparable to the secondary, and, although we have our corners and nickel packages set, we are somewhat in a transition period with our safeties.

I believe now that the cast has come off second year safety Tyvon Branch, it really made Wilson expendable. I would like to see Derrick Brown compete for the SS position and look at swapping positions with Huff and Routt. Perhaps Huff is able to play better in gap type coverage, as opposed to having all that real estate to cover as a FS.

I have not covered every component, just the ones that needed to be addressed at this year's draft in order of precedence.

Much like our race car, the components need to be addressed in order of relevance. What good does it do us to get a DT if we can't keep our defense off the field? Same is true for adding so much more power to a race car that the stock clutch can't handle it.

One can argue that as long as we draft all of these positions, in no particular order, we would still achieve the same results.

I could not disagree more with that philosophy. Getting the best athlete or component in an appropriate order will only complement and enhance the final product at the end of the day.

There are still questions like Center, Guard and DE that I have not addressed because we either need to address them in free agency or they just aren't as pressing.

In the end, I hope the powers that may be rely and practice some basic principles that have proven to work. The final product being a competitive silver and black nine second beast!!!!