OT: Your NFL Team's Draft

[jn]

How'd everyone feel about your favorite teams picks?  I'm not a big follower of these things but as for the Vikes it's hard to argue with a DE Udeze. He had Udeze.  Beyond that I have seen some wildly conflicting views on their second pick, a linebacker out of Auburn.  

For the Iggle fans I was glad to see them take Thomas Tapeh from MN.  Nice kid who came here from Liberia and got his health and grades in order.  Not the biggest fullback but very strong.  

 

[Reality]

KC Chieferolas I don't know anything about OT from Oregon.

San Diego Charglesses while my only association is living in the same city, i think the way it turned out with Eli Manning turned out great.  Phillip Rivers seems way more down to earth, the extra draft pics they got only time will tell but all in all a superb swap.

[JoMal]

The Niners filled their wide receiver void with some speed with 3rd round pick Derrick Hamilton and got a "good-hands" receiver in the first round with Rashawn Woods. The second of two second round picks, CB Spencer, went up against Fitzgerald every day in practice, which has to be helpful in the pros. Fourth round pick and defensive tackle Isaac Sopoaga is another Samoan who simply tested out as being the strongest collegian in this year's draft. Raw talent though. Their first second rounder added an OG (Smiley), who has some speed, which the Niner line has lacked recently. Their second fourth round pick went for a MLB, which is interesting. Niners could use some depth there, but for some reason never draft linebackers as priority picks, but prefer to find hidden talent there deeper in the draft, like this guy Richard Seigler is supposed to be.

Trading down twice in the first round, they still got one of the two preferred wide receivers they coveted in Woods while picking up extra picks. Standard moves by the Niners and they tend to work out for this team.

The RAAAAIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEEERRRRRRSSSSSSS grabbed the biggest, baddest OT in the draft in Robert Gallery with the second pick of the draft. Having their quarterbacks severely damaged last year has finally made Al Davis realyze that a franchise left tackle on the line is a must before the team has a chance of a return to success. Then they continued the line drafting with center Jake Grove, who will probably be an instant starter, as Barrett Robbins looks done because of a chronically bad knee. Third round pick Stuart Schweigert should help the defensive backfield at safety, or maybe Davis just liked his rap sheet. He has a long one. Francis and Morant in the fourth and fifth rounds are WR who may or may not replace Brown and Rice after this year. They need to learn the ropes and simply make the team. None of the others are projected as anything more then projects at best.

[Reality]

Do the Raiders think they can suceed with another year of Tim Brown (boooooo) and lost a step Rice?  Or are they fessing up to 04 being a rebuilding type year?

To me Rayders should have taken Larry Fitz, then traded Brown and Rice for a good O lineman.  Gotta be some playoff type team that would take Rice.

Brown and his farce contract $$$ would be near impossible.  Rices just as bad but he such a better team player.

[JoMal]

First off, summer trades may still take place.

But it is unlikely that Raider-for-Life Brown, and This-is-definitely-my-last-year Rice are tradable, for one, and worth trading, for two. Rice's work ethic alone is a good reason to keep him around the rookie receivers for next year. Production from them? Minimal. But sometimes aging players can provide a type of guidance coaches just can't convey to young players.

Since the Raiders all got very old very fast last year, it would be more accurate to say rebuilding YEARS, not year. It will take possibly three good drafts for this team to rebound. Free agents brought in are not likely to be the blue chip variety. Can't afford them with all that dead salary floating the cap.

Davis should rebuild the line and keep it in place for five to ten years. Add at least one more good lineman next year, look for a top line running back, and more help at WR. On defense, it looks like wire and mirrors for another year, but that may have to wait for year three to address.

[westkoast]

The RAAAAIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEEERRRRRRSSSSSSS grabbed the biggest, baddest OT in the draft in Robert Gallery with the second pick of the draft. Having their quarterbacks severely damaged last year has finally made Al Davis realyze that a franchise left tackle on the line is a must before the team has a chance of a return to success. Then they continued the line drafting with center Jake Grove, who will probably be an instant starter, as Barrett Robbins looks done because of a chronically bad knee. Third round pick Stuart Schweigert should help the defensive backfield at safety, or maybe Davis just liked his rap sheet. He has a long one. Francis and Morant in the fourth and fifth rounds are WR who may or may not replace Brown and Rice after this year. They need to learn the ropes and simply make the team. None of the others are projected as anything more then projects at best.

I am happy with the Raiders offseason so far that I am giddy like a school girl.  You know :GULP: I think Al Dummy finally did something that we all can apperciate for the next few years.

I do agree that they are a couple years away from being a team that the rest of the league will have problems with.  Last year took such a pounding on the team mentally and physically that there is nothing that could be done in one offseason to fix all those problems.

[ziggy]

KC Chieferolas I don't know anything about OT from Oregon.

San Diego Charglesses while my only association is living in the same city, i think the way it turned out with Eli Manning turned out great.  Phillip Rivers seems way more down to earth, the extra draft pics they got only time will tell but all in all a superb swap.

With regards to Junior Siavii the DT from Oregon.  He is MASSIVE.  Something like 6-3 335.  He was a DT in college, and is projected as a NG in the pros.  Very good run stopper, very strong, a fairly quick for someone his size.  He is not a strong pass rusher though.  KC as I understand it wants to go with a 3-4, and hence the desire to take him as a NG.  He is 25, and from American Samoa.  he didn't play alot until his senior year, and only then because Hiloti Ngata was hurt.  I think he will be an OK NFL player, but what I have read indicates he was drafted high for his talent level.  Won't be a bust, but I think he will be a little bit of a disappointment.

For the Chargers, the second round pick was Igor Olshansky.  He is huge 6-6 about 310, born in the Ukraine, and moved to the Bay Area at age of 7.  He was the strongest guy in the draft.  At the combine he did 41 bench press reps at 225, then another guy did 42, so at a later work out he did 43.  Can bench press 550 lbs.  At Oregon he played DE, but he is projected as a tackle in a 4-3.  Came out as a junior, and many felt it was a mistake, that if he had stayed, and with Ngata coming back that he would quickly become a first round pick next year, but since he was drafted  high in the second round it turned out fine.
It is best to describe him as an animal.  Excellent pass rusher, and good against the run, especially when it is inside the ends.  Decent speed, but not great speed, and he is thought to play "Too Tall", so he can get pushed off the block by OL who go at him low.  He is relentless, and will pursue a QB all over the field, but because he does lack some quickness he isn't great against runs outside the ends.  I believe he will be an all-Pro someday.