Maclin To Show Al Davis What He's Got

So much for the talk about the Raiders not bringing in any of the top prospects in this year's NFL Draft.

Jeremy Maclin is scheduled for a private workout with the Raiders this week.  It is time for him to prove that he is worth drafting at No. 7. 

I am sure that he is already at or near the top of Al Davis' list.  Maclin is the exact type of play-maker that Al Davis falls in love with.  

Can he convince Al that he is their guy?

Both Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have the Raiders drafting Maclin with their first pick.  McShay and other "mock experts" even have us passing on Michael Crabtree to select the dynamic WR/KR from Missouri with our No. 7 pick. 

Some say that he is basically another Johnie Lee Higgins. 

Well they are similar in terms of ability but Maclin is a lot bigger.  At 6 foot and 200 lbs he has a bigger build than Higgins.  JLH is "generously" listed at 5' 11", 185 lbs, on ESPN.com. 

Maclin is also a stronger runner and is better at breaking tackles, with Higgins more of a make you miss type of player.  Maclin has all the moves and a little more but comes in a taller, bigger frame.  He is also a more polished WR than Higgins was coming out of college.

Jeremy Maclin is a guy that can do a lot of things very well.  He is a threat whenever he has the ball in his hands.  Whether he is catching a pass, running the ball, or returning a punt or kickoff, he is a dangerous player. 

Here are his stats after two years with the Tigers:

182 rec 2,315 yards 22 tds                85 KR 2,049 yards 2 tds

91 car 661 yards 6 tds                       48 PR 577 yards 3 tds

That's over 5,600 total yards and 33 touchdowns in just two seasons.  Pretty impressive numbers. 

Depending on how his workout goes, and who is available at No. 7, he just might hear his name called when the Raiders are on the clock. 

Personally I think we should take the best available defensive player.  I'm hoping either Raji or Orakpo will be there.  If they are both gone then it comes down to Aaron Maybin and Everette Brown. 

We need to address our problems stopping the run and rushing the passer. 

If Al Davis absolutely has to have Maclin, hopefully he realizes that he can get him a few selections down, works a trade, and picks up a fifth or sixth round pick, which we don't have at the moment. 

This move would also lower the amount of guaranteed money that Al would have to pay him.

What do you think?  Is Jeremy Maclin going to convince Al Davis that he is worth his first round pick? 

If it has to be a WR, do you want Maclin or Crabtree? 

Your opinion will be greatly appreciated.