An Oakland Raiders' Realistic Approach to the Top 10

1: Detroit-Sanchez/Stafford
2: St Louis-Jason Smith
3: Kansas City-BJ Raji
4: Seattle-Curry, Stafford, Sanchez
5: Cleveland-Stafford, Sanchez, Curry
6: Cincinnati-Eugene Monroe
7: Oakland-Crabtree
8. Jacksonville-Maualuga
9: Green Bay-Larry English
10:San Francisco-Andre Smith

We can talk all day about wanting to upgrade the D-line by drafting DT BJ Raji or upgrading the O line by drafting Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe, or Andre Smith. At least three of those players should be gone by the time we draft No. 7.

Crabtree is another possibility at No. 7, but most likely will get picked before the Raiders can select him. If Crabtree is there, then, he’ll get picked and I won’t complain about the selection.

DT Raji is a pipedream as someone will take him in the top five. Monroe and Jason Smith should have no chance to drop outside of the top five.

If we end up signing LT Khalif Barnes, then there would be no reason to draft an O lineman with our No. 1, not with Mario Henderson, Barnes, Erik Pears, and Paul McQuistan battling it out for two tackle positions.

Some say the Raiders should draft Rey Maualuga at the MLB spot, but I seriously think that he’s going to have problems in the NFL and won’t be a Pro Bowl LB that you would expect to draft with a top 10 pick.

He’s not another L.T. (Lawrence Taylor, the original LT) like I’ve heard several people compare him to. He’s more like another Chris Claiborne.

Do we take WR Jeremy Maclin who is essentially an “upgrade” for Higgins' spot?

Or do we address the best available defensive player and choose between DE’s Everette Brown and Brian Orakpo?

I’d personally love to trade down and target a CB who will be turned into a FS, Malcolm Jenkins later in the first or C Alex Mack. But know that’s got a snowball’s chance in hell to survive to happen.

What do you guys think?