Seconds Out, Round 4

So there we have it, on paper the Oakland Raiders already have one of the best drafts in living memory, so what/who is next? We have two fourth round picks and three seventh rounders, and I’d say we definitely need to pick up a free safety and a DE in those five picks, I’d also be keen for us to acquire another DT, possibly a NT, then maybe an OT, or a CB or a WR, depending upon who’s there when we draft. As a wildcard I also wouldn’t mind us getting another QB in the seventh if any real gems are available late.

Players we should go for:-

* Ahmad Dixon – FS, Baylor – this kid has got a bit of the Charles Woodson swagger about him, and would be an ideal candidate to sit and learn for a season from CW24. Dixon helped Justin Gilbert immensely this past year. He hits like an aggressive Ram that hasn’t had its morning coffee and has woken in a bad mood, this kid looks like an awesome typical Raiders DB to me.

* Dion Bailey – FS, USC – another big big hitter, this kid just wraps people up and has great balls skills. Again we could bring this kid through slowly, as he learns from the best CW.

* Keith McGill – CB, Utah – 4.5 40 time, this 6’2″ coverage CB is a blanket for receivers, looks like he could easily convert to FS also if the need requires. How this kid slipped out of the first three rounds I will never be able to comprehend – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6qv3hVhKzA

* Cameron Fleming – OT, Stanford – looks like a ready to roll RT option, with him in the mix we could slide Watson over to LT, where his superior foot speed would actually probably work better. Cameron is big and powerful, possessing excellent technique for such a young kid  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4MfBjCRCM8

* DeQuan Jones – DT, Penn State – at 6’3″ and 320 lbs, with great gap-discipline, Jones is a force against the run. His excellent power and impressive snap anticipation show Jones to be a natural for the DT/NT role and would help solidify the position for years. If we don’t go for someone like Jones, Anthony Johnson or Brent Urban (and seeing as we avoided drafting Louis Nix III yesterday) then, to me, it strongly suggests forgotten man Torell Troup (the 330 lb unit the Bills drafted in the second round of the 2010 draft) is fit and ready to go….in which case we’re good at DT anyway

* Aaron Lynch – DE, USF – explosive QB-killer, looks like a leader on the field which I particularly like. He’s big (6’5″), explosive, like an albatross in terms of wing-span and emotional on the field, if anything I’d say he looks a little to lean, but that’s nothing LaMarr Woodley and Justin Tuck can’t teach him to improve upon in the weight room. Another good DE option , although this time more of a run-stuffer in Ed Stinson from Alabama.

….thought I’d slip this last one in – and sorry to all my fellow Raiders who are sick to the back teeth of Terrelle Pryor talk – but an even more promising quasi-QB option is Logan Thomas. Along with Derek Carr, Logan Thomas has in my opinion the best arm in this year’s draft class. Unlike Carr, however (and more like Pryor), 6’6″Logan Thomas lacks accuracy (actually Derek Carr needs work here too, hence sitting and learning under Matt Schaub would suit Carr and Thomas). Check out his highlights, they’re impressive, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfooRmEF8AE maybe we draft this kid as a TE?

Draft Positions of Need: Safety

In a series of articles, looking at the various positions of need, I am looking today at Safety. This isn’t a position we need to address early, because we have two strong starters, but it is a position I would be keen for us to address in the latter rounds or as an UDFA.

In my opinion Tyvon Branch is a top-10 starting strong safety and one that I expect to show significant improvements this season, as at 27 years of age he enters the peak of his career. Backing him up, however, is a bit of an unknown. Brandian Ross seems to be the club’s long-term possibility, and he has shown glimpses, but he also sucked far to often and at 191 lbs he needs to add some weight (i.e. muscle), which I’m sure he’s doing right now. Shelton Johnson also has some promise, but I really feel he needs to sit back on the practise squad to learn this season. I wouldn’t be opposed to another talent being drafted, as long as its not too early or as an UDFA, although if I’m honest free safety is probably a bigger need.

In Charles Woodson we not only have a very capable FS but we also have a leader on the field, a legend for the young players to learn from and a coach on the pitch. Woodson looked great at times last season, but as he tired the standard of his play accordingly dropped. Now in Usama Young we also have a player I really like, and he needs to come into the lineup more often to help woodson remain fresh, but Usama Young isn’t top-tier standard, and a young talent is probably required here. I’m not completely against the idea that a player I’ve talked about many times before Neiko Thorpe (  https://raidalove.wordpress.com/tag/best-fa/) can’t yet be the answer, but if a real talented player falls into the later rounds, like Dion Bailey, Lonnie Ballentine or Tre Boston, then we should certainly pounce….roll on draft day, its going to be exciting (although rather sadly I think I enjoy the UDFA acquisitions after the draft the most).

Lonnie Ballentine – watch the clips, looks really good http://nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=68818&draftyear=2014&genpos=FS