NFL Draft 2011: The Oakland Raiders Look To Build Toward the Playoffs
The Raiders are without a first round pick (due to the Richard Seymour trade), so they have to make every pick count. The Silver and Black are coming of the heels of their first quality draft in, seemingly, forever.
Rolando McClain was solid at middle linebacker, racking up 85 tackles, while Lamarr Houston strengthened the middle of the defensive line with 39 tackles and five sacks. Left tackle Jared Veldheer was a very pleasant surprise. The rookie out of Hillside seems to be an offensive build block. Fourth round pick Jacoby Ford is an electrifying weapon at WR and in the return game.
Oakland will look to continue acquiring quality youth in the 2011 draft, with an eye on contending for a playoff spot next season. Here is a look at how they might do it.
Second Round: Stefen Wisniewski ,C, PSU
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This pick just makes too much sense not to happen. Stefen is Raider legend Steve Wisniewski ‘s nephew. The elder Wisniewski also just so happens to be Oakland’s offensive line coach. G Robert Gallery is a free agents, and Wisniewski could fit nicely into his void. With this Penn State product, the Raiders will have at least one spot on the line that they won’t have to worry about.
Thrid Round: Marcus Gilchrist, CB/S, Clemson
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With Nnamdi Asomugha leaving, Oakland has a HUGE hole to fill in the secondary. Darrelle Revis may have gotten all the publicity, but if he’s the No. 1 corner in the NFL, Asomugha is 1A. Obviously, Gilchrist is no Asomugha, but he’s a physical corner who also saw time at safety while at Clemson. At the very least, Gilchrist will push last year’s fifth-round pick, Walter McFadden, to step up his game.
Fourth Round: Jarvis Jenkins, DT, Clemson
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Even with Seymour resigning, Oakland could use a little more help up the middle. Jenkins is exactly what you want in a mid-round pick. He has a ton of physical potential but has yet to harness it. If he can be coached up, Oakland could have a steal here.
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Fifth Round: Joe Barksdale, OT, LSU
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Barksdale is huge (6'5", 335) and is the type of power lineman that a running team like the Raiders could really utilize. If Hue Jackson can motivate this guy, he could be a late-round steal and form a tackle-tandem with Veldheer that could make Jason Campbell and Darren McFadden very, very happy.
Sixth Round: Curtis Marsh, CB, Utah St.
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You can never have too many options when trying to replace a perennial Pro-Bowler, so Marsh becomes the second corner taken by the Silver and Black. Marsh is the type of guy Al Davis loves (Man, I thought I was going to go the whole way without mentioning Davis.). He has size (6'1", 197) and speed (4.46 40-yard dash) to be great but lacks the natural football ability required. Sounds right up Raider alley.
Seventh Round: Greg McElroy, QB, Alabama
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Jason Campbell doesn’t seem to be the answer at quarterback, and Bruce Gradkowski is, well….Bruce Gradkowski. Unfortunately, the Raiders won’t find a quarterback of the future here. What they could find is a serviceable backup to Campbell for a few years while the quarterback mess is straightened out. McElroy is kind of like the anti-JaMarcus Russell.
Conclusion
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Although the Raiders are still a little bit away from competing for a championship, Jackson should be able to pick up where Tom Cable left off. The pieces are there, and if the Raiders can shore up their interior lines and add a few more pieces to the puzzle, an AFC West championship isn't out of the question.
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