Was the Oakland Raiders' Draft a No-Win Situation?

You know the ESPN people must have it pretty bad for Oakland when they want to label a guy a bust before he ever sets foot on the turf, right?

But that's Mel Kiper Jr. for you.

Mel, the soothsayer of all things football, couldn't believe that the Raiders would bypass a sure star and a "can't miss" prospect in Michael Crabtree.

However, considering that Tom Cable got to see Darrius Heyward-Bey up close and personal...and that Michael Crabtree turned crab apple at the thought of Silver and Black...what could they have done?

Let's look at the possibilities.

Possibility number one is that the Raiders selected Michael Crabtree.

Michael simply hangs his head in disbelief and frustration, and then refuses to wear the cap or even come out of the "green room." While Mel and the boys are singing his praises, Michael is throwing a temper tantrum unseen since, well...Randy Moss threw one to get out of Oakland.

Mel's ego is stoked, and even though he has no coaching experience in the NFL, he is deemed smarter than anyone else in the draft.

Well, maybe in 25 years you learn by making countless mistakes.

Probably not.

Michael Crabtree elects to never sign with the Raiders, goes back home, and demands for the Raiders to trade him or let him go another year and reenter the draft, a la Bo Jackson.

The Raiders not only get an F for the draft, they become a laughingstock for listening to Mel Kiper Jr.

Option number two is to trade out of the No. 7 spot, move down, and hope that DHB is still there, somewhere for them to draft him.

This is all fine and dandy, unless things truly go off center.

ESPN's own Bill Williamson said that all four of the AFC West teams had head scratching picks in the first round: Oakland's WR, Denver's RB, even KC, who took a big body at No. 3, and the Chargers grabbed a run stuffer for their troubles.

What happens if, say, the Raiders trade down to 20 only to find out that the Broncos took Heyward-Bey at 17?

Not only do we miss out on our player, but we traded down and missed every single player we wanted...real smart choice.

I don't know what sort of grade Mel would have gone with then...incomplete?

The last option, as it is, the Raiders went with.

Last month they saw something at a workout with Darrius that they liked.

Something good besides speed.

Anyone who's a watcher of the Raiders should also know that speed has its upside and its downside, but also, it's how the player uses his talents.

Cliff Branch was a fourth round pick when we got him in 1972. Fast, he set the record for kickoff returns for TDs in Division I-AA with eight at Colorado.

Fourth round?

Fred Biletnikoff, a second round pick, was not known for speed and size, but simply for his ability to catch...or stick, depending on your opinion.

Of course, on the other end of the spectrum, you could have a Carlos Francis, another speedburner prospect that the Raiders gambled on. Fast, the Raiders took a flyer on him for three years only to discover that he couldn't catch a cold.

Where did he play? Texas Tech? Same as Crabtree? Hmm...

Maybe passing on Crabtree was a good thing.

We'll have to wait and see.

Oakland made their choice for the first round pick...calling it a bust before the guy even gets to the field is a bit foolish. 

It's even more foolish to think that just because a guy performs well in college that it translates to sure success in the pros.

Give me a call back on DHB in three to five years...we'll re-grade Mel's mistakes then.