Lamarr Houston Setting The Pace For The Oakland Raider's Turnaround

The Raiders are only three days into to camp and have yet go live in practice. Yet they can already see that Lamarr Houston came to bring the pain.

He has come to Raider Nation fully equipped with a chip on his shoulder. He got into a scuffle with Langston Walker and Rock Cartright during his first minicamp practice.

Houston has wasted little time making enemies with other offensive teamates since the Raiders started training camp. He got into a scuffle with Robert Gallery Thursday.

Houston entered the draft as a defensive tackle. Houston is a typical Al Davis physical freak that fell to the Raiders in the second round.

This is despite having better production than Gerald McCoy last year and over his college career. Houston outproduced McCoy while playing in the same conference. He also showed himself to be the bigger, stronger, and faster man at the combine.

Yet, for some reason, the pre-draft hype was all about McCoy and Ndamakong Suh. From there, it was McCoy that was taken off the board second after Suh among defensive tackles.

Is this what Houston is taking out on his teammates?

Or is that just who he is?

Either way, it is good for the Raiders. The Raider offensive line will have to have to work hard on every play as they've already had their hands full with him just doing walk-throughs.

Head coach Tom Cable said, "He's relentless. Every play he's a pain in the rear for whoever he's going against, and that's important."

So who will he be a pain in the rear for when the season starts?

The Raiders have moved him to defensive end since his arrival in Raider Nation. However, they can line him up anywhere on the defensive line at any given time. He has the size and power to play inside with speed to come off the edge!

Does that remind you of somebody?

Somebody like Howie Long?

Long once said, "Instead of one offensive lineman preparing for me, all five of 'em have to prepare for me."

Well, if he is to reach such heights, he will have to learn how to from Richard Seymour. He is a modern-day version of Long himself.

One thing is for sure.

He has the Lyle Alzado mean streak.

When he's not fighting, Houston has been soaking up knowledge from Seymour thus far in camp. Seymour has even stayed after practice to give Houston pointers.

Houston could very well be the reason Seymour came to camp a day early. He can clearly see the talent with the hunger and wants to steer him in the right direction. That way, he has a defensive linemate he has molded for greatness himself.

Houston has given Seymour that youthful excitement. In exchange, he receives Seymour's veteran knowledge. The defensive line then turns this on the offensive line and that makes everyone better.

Houston is a Bay Area native, so he knows what real Raider football is. He said, "I am going to work and work. There's a great tradition here, a winning tradition, and I am going to do all I can to help turn things back around in that direction."

He's off to a great start.