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2009 DRAFT PICKS
links go to NFL.com website

Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	School	Jay's ranking	Jay's draft value
1	7	Darrius Heyward-Bey	WR	Maryland	#4 WR	Round 1
2	47	Mike Mitchell	SS	Ohio	NR	Late Round Value
3	71	Matt Shaughnessy	DE	Wisconsin	#19 DE	Round 5
4	124	Louis Murphy	WR	Florida	#15 WR	Round 4
4	126	Slade Norris	OLB	Oregon State	NR	7th/FA
6	199	Stryker Sulak	OLB/DE	Missouri	#16 OLB	Round 5
East West Shrine Game			Sulak showed good quickness. He played the run well and batted down a pass.
6	202	Brandon Myers	TE	Iowa	NR	7th/FA
FA	----	Franz Joseph	ILB	Florida Atlantic	NR	7th/FA

2009 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

by Jay Goldberg

I know I'm not the most conventional draft analyst, however, even I did not agree with the twists, turns and quizzical picks made by the Raiders. They also followed up a poor draft with no significant college street free agent signings. This is not to say that their selections will not pan out; just that there were better selections, with a higher probability of success than the ones they selected. At least in my opinion.

DRAFT PICKS

I am going to take a different approach with the Raiders' draft than with the other teams . I am going to show my pick at each spot (including actual draft day trades of slots) and see which draft is better over time. Remember, at the time of the draft the Raiders had not signed Greg Ellis. I will also take into account the Raiders love of speed.

Pick	Actual Raiders Selection	My Selection
1.7	WR Heyward-Bey A fast receiver with good quickness and athleticism, but unreliable hands. He could be a star but this was too soon to sell out for speed.	WR Crabtree Not the burner the Raiders crave, but a playmaker who would have been a true #1 option for their young quarterback.
2.47	SS Mitchell A physical specimen with good speed, strength and athleticism. He may be a good one, but the scorecard on similar players has been mixed (good - Sensabaugh; bad - Condren)	OT Beatty Beatty is an athletic tackle who would start, worst case, immediately on the right side and down the line at the all important left tackle.
3.71	DE Shaughnessy Has the frame and base skill set to develop, but is no sure thing. However, he is not a great pass rusher and may never be anything more than a backup.	SS Vaughn Vaughn not only has the measureables that the Raiders crave (4.40 in the forty, good quickness, and a top athlete), but he is currently a better player than Mitchell. I also like his potential more than Mitchell.
4.124	WR Murphy This actually was a solid pick. He has the speed the Raiders crave and this is a spot in the draft the Raiders can take a chance on speed. However, there was a speed receiver I liked better and he was available at #126.	DE Sidbury, Jr. Sidbury Jr. is to defensive ends what Heyward-Bey was to receivers. He has top-end speed (4.57). He also showed excellent pass rush skills in the post season and has the frame and size to be a three down end down the line.
4.126	OLB Norris Yes, the Raiders need a SAM and Norris has a chance to succeed, but there were better options here and later in the draft.	WR Knox Want a speed receiver with upside? How about Knox. He was manually timed at 4.25 in the forty at the Combine (official time was higher). He also has similar quickness and athleticism to Heyward-Bey. He is not as tall. However, I like him more than Murphy and he would have been a speed option to pair with Crabtree long term.
6.199	DE/OLB Sulak I like Sulak, but more as a 3-4 outside linebacker than as a 4-3 defensive end. Still, he could be a nice pass rush specialist. In my draft I got a better pass rusher and player in Sidbury Jr. at end.	OLB Follett Yes, Follett isn't the fastest linebacker, but he plays smart, is fast enough and can cover tight ends. In my opinion, he is a better prospect at SAM than Norris.
6.202	TE Myers The Raiders made a move to get Myers to play in two tight end sets with Miller. Hopefully, they know something I don't.	TE Morrah Morrah is stronger, faster (4.59 forty) and quicker than Myers. He also is the same height and just 6 pounds lighter. I like his potential more than Myers and with his speed is right up the Raiders' alley.

COLLEGE STREET FREE AGENTS

The only college street free agent the Raiders signed that even got my attention a little bit was Franz Joseph. He's a kid that looks better on game film than his workout showed. With the lack of high-quality depth at linebacker for Oakland, he has a chance to stick.

For chart below: red indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
ARM-HAND relative to position, for ranges see ranking pages for 2009 draft

LAST NAME
at Combine

FIRST NAME

SCHOOL

HGT

WGT

ARM-
HAND

BENCH

SHORT

LONG

3 CONE

VERT

BROAD

Heyward-Bey

Darrius

Maryland

6'1.5"

210

L-M

4.29

1.44

2.50

4.18

6.80

38.5"

10'6"

Mitchell

Michael

Ohio

6'0"

221

4.43

37.5"

10'3"

Shaughnessy

Matt

Wisconsin

6'5.1"

263

XL-XL

4.86

1.69

2.86

4.88

7.68

30.5"

9'4"

Murphy

Louis

Florida

6'2.3"

203

L-XL

4.36

1.51

2.52

4.45

6.95

Norris

Slade

Oregon State

6'2.1"

232

4.65

1.59

2.61

Sulak

Stryker

Missouri

6'4.4"

251

XL-L

4.66

1.60

2.71

4.58

7.31

31"

9'5"

Myers

Brandon

Iowa

6'3.3"

250

4.78

1.62

2.76

4.45

7.36

31"

9'8"

Joseph

Franz

Florida Atlantic

6'1.3"

242

4.83

1.62

2.75

4.37

7.34

27.5"

9'8"

2009 NEEDS PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY
Major need Need Upgrade possible Depth/possible need Not a need

QB	Russell took a nice step forward. Considering the lack of talent at receiver that was no minor accomplishment. Russell will be fine. Walter will return as an unhappy backup. Tuiasosopo is an UFA. He should be available to be resigned if Oaklnad cannot upgrade that position in the offseason.
RB	Fargas, McFadden and Bush give the Raiders a talented three-headed option at running back. Unless they move one of their three backs, the Raiders have no need at running back.
WR	If I could give this a rating worse than red I would. Youngsters Higgins, Schilens and Shields could fill the final three receiver spots, but the team needs two new starters. Of the three young players, if Shields is healthy he could have the best 2009.
TE	Miller is developing into one of the better tight ends in the league. Stewart, a goods blocker, is an UFA. Strong is a young player with a chance to be a solid backup tight end.
OL	Grove and Carlisle are UFAs who the team has a decent shot at resigning. Gallery has developed into a very good guard. Henderson played left tackle, but the team would be best served if it found a stud left tackle and moved Henderson to the right side. Depth is also needed.
DL	The Raiders defensive line has a lot of "ehh". Each player has some pluses as well as some minuses. Burgess should be the best of the bunch but he had an injury-plagued and off year. The team will have to find a role for Kelly because of the contract they gave him. He is just okay. A playmaker outside and a run-stuffer inside are needed.
LB	This is a good unit. Some blame Morrison in the middle for deficiencies in the run game. Not me, I blame the Raiders' tackles. Howard is an athletic WILL who keeps improving. I like him, but he has his detractors too. The team does need a SAM. Alston is best served as a WILL.
DB	Asomugha and Chris Johnson are a good cornerback tandem, however Johnson is an UFA. So is backup corner Miller. Routt hasn't developed as hoped but there is still time. The Raiders will look to add a corner to either start if Johnson leaves or to be their nickel. At safety Wilson was all the team hoped for when signed as a free agent from the Giants. An upgrade from Huff and Eugene could be added at free safety.
ST	Punter Lechler, the best in the biz, is a free agent. So is Miller a dynamic kick return man. Higgins (punt return) and Janikowski (kicker) are fine.

2008 DRAFT PICKS
links go to NFL.com website

Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School	Jay's ranking	Jay's draft value
1	4	Darren McFadden	RB	6'1.2"	211	Arkansas	#1 RB	Round 1
4	100	Tyvon Branch	CB/FS/Ret	5'11.3"	204	Connecticut	#12 CB	Round 3

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Branch is a player I like a lot in this draft. The only knock on him is that he doesn't get turnovers. However, for a very fast corner, he likes to mix it up and is a big hitter. He also is a very good kick returner. Branch is a solid corner who will be a very valuable special teams player while apprenticing to start.

125

Arman Shields

6'0.6"

194

Richmond

#17 WR

Round 3/Round 4

Player who will have a better NFL career than many drafted higher than him.

Shields is one of the most intriguing wide receiver prospects in this draft. He injured his knee early in this senior season but still is among the all time leading receivers at Richmond. The book on Shields was that he had excellent hands, runs good routes, and is a tough kid who gets good YAC. The knock on him was suspect speed, especially coming off a knee injury. Then he worked out. He has great speed. In addition he is a tremendous athlete with good quickness and the ability to make sharp cuts. This is the type of data that I've found results in a better NFL player than most project. He is a player on the field who many thought did it with limited measureables. Then he added a great workout to his on-field skill.

6	169	Trevor Scott	DE	6'0.6"	194	Buffalo	Late Round Value
7	226	Chaz Schilens	WR	6'3.7"	204	S Diego St	Late Round Value
FA		Brandon Rodd	OG	6'3.5"	305	Arizona St	Late Round Value
FA		Darrell Strong	TE	6'4"	268	Pittsburgh	Round 4/Round 5
FA		Marcel Reece	WR	6'0.1"	231	Washington	Late Round Value/Free Agent

2008 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

by Jay Goldberg

The Raiders added some good players in the draft but didn't address their offensive line problems. I'm not sure Kwame Harris is the answer at left tackle and Cornell Green is just okay on the right side. Competition, even in the form of some late picks could have been added. As far as college street free agents, tight end Darrell Strong is a player to watch in camp.

DRAFT PICKS

If I were the GM at Oakland, I would have drafted Sedrick Ellis over McFadden and not have signed Kelly to the big contract. How's that for a curve ball. I like Fargas as a runner and believe he could be a top back if given the chance. However, I cannot fault Oakland for taking McFadden, who is a game-breaking runner. He is very fast, very quick and has good receiving skills. He will be a top player in the league for years.

Branch was very underrated coming into the draft. He is very, very fast, very very physical and has good cover skills. He is more fast than quick so is better served on the outside than covering slot receivers. Long term, he could be a good free safety, although he has Huff in front of him. In the meantime, Branch will be a dynamite special teams player, both on coverage units and as a kick returner.

Shields was one of the most intriguing receivers entering the draft. He is coming off a knee injury which was okay since he was thought to be a smart, tough receiver with good hands but limited speed and athleticism. Then he worked out, and all I can say is WOW. First, he obviously showed his knee injury is behind him. Then he showed that he may have had "bionics" placed in his body help his healing. The kid can fly, is very quick, can change directions with the best of them, and is a good athlete. And remember, he is not just a workout warrior. He is Richmond's all time leading receiver with good hands, is a good route runner, and a had plenty of YAC. Shields could be one of the steals of the draft when analyzing it down the line.

Trevor Scott is an athletic, speedy, pass-rushing end who will need time to develop, but could be a productive pass rusher down the line.

Schilens is another speedy, athletic receiver who will have to show the ability to play special teams or will be a member of the Raiders' practice squad. While he has potential, offensive tackle Kirk Barton would have been my pick at this spot.

COLLEGE STREET FREE AGENTS

Rodd played tackle in college but projects to guard in the NFL. He has good speed and could be effective blocking in the run game.

Strong looks the part and has had some good moments, but needs to be more consistent if he hopes to grab a backup spot with Oakland. I believe his combination of potential as a blocker and receiver will result in him winning a backup spot with Oakland.

Reece is a physical receiver with good speed. While Schilens is more like Shields, Reece offers a different type of receiver. He has a shot to make the club, but is more likely to end up on their practice squad.

red indicates workout number in top range at position in draft
(blue college name indicates workout #'s include Pro Day numbers)

COMBINE
YES

FIRST NAME

SCHOOL

HEIGHT

WEIGHT

BENCH

SHORT

LONG

3 CONE

VERT

BROAD

McFadden

Darren

ARKANSAS

6'1.2"

211

4.33

1.51

2.53

4.10

6.86

33.5"

10'8"

Branch

Tyvon

CONNECTICUT

5'11.3"

204

4.29

1.47

2.49

4.40

38"

10'0"

Shields

Armon

RICHMOND

6'0.6"

194

4.37

1.51

2.51

3.96

10.87

6.67

37.5"

10'8"

Scott

Trevor

BUFFALO

6'5"

256

4.54

1.53

2.59

4.19

6.84

33.5"

9'9"

Schilens

Chaz

SAN DIEGO ST

6'3.7"

204

4.38

1.56

2.52

4.25

6.84

43"

10'3"

Rodd

Brandon

ARIZONA ST

6'3.5"

305

5.15

1.77

2.98

Strong

Darrell

PITTSBURGH

6'4"

268

4.76

1.60

2.74

4.21

6.86

34.5"

9'2"

Reece

Marcel

WASHINGTON

6'0.1"

231

4.42

1.51

2.55

4.26

7.20

36.5"

9'6"

2008 NEEDS PRIOR TO DRAFT AND FREE AGENCY

OAK Major Need Need Upgrade Depth Need Not a Need

QB	Next year will be Russell's year. If McCown returns, the backup quarterback spot will be in good hands. If not, competition will be brought in for Walter. Culpepper will probably not be back.
RB	Fargas is a free agent. If he leaves I'm not convinced Bush and Rhodes will be enough. Jordan will likely be cut. The Raiders need to bring back Fargas, or bring in another player capable of starting.
WR	Porter is a free agent and it may be time for him to leave. Curry is a solid pro, but not a #1 receiver. Dwight is always on the shelf. Higgins is a better return man than receiver. McFoy could surprise. The Raiders need two receivers, one who coold be a legit #1 for young Russell.
TE	Miller played well as a rookie and will only get better. Depth behind him is questionable.
OL	This is an improving unit that can get with the players on hand but could use an upgrade at tackle.
DL	Burgess is a force. He was banged up early in the year but came on at the end. Warren has mad skills but is inconsistent. Still, he has to be in there. A tackle is needed to push and possibly replace Sapp. In fact consistent high level play from their tackles is needed to keep blockers off linebackers Morrison and Howard. The Richardson/Clemons combo is okay opposite Burgess, but Clemons is a free agent. If he leaves a pass rushing end will also need to be added.
LB	I like Morrison and Howard, although the Raiders need to keep offensive lineman from engulfing them. Both Thomas and Williams are okay at SAM, but an upgrade to a big linebacker to pair with Morrison and Howard would be a good idea.
DB	The Raiders are fine at cornerback. Asomugha play at a all pro level, and Routt and Washington have flashed potential. I also believe Bowie can develop into a quality corner. At safety, Huff should be moved to free safety and a tough-nosed strong safety with good tackling skills should be added.
ST	Lechler made the Pro Bowl, but Janikowski continues to be inconsistent. Carr also has flashed good return ability, but has not taken the next step whenre teams fear him. Higgins was suppose to be the next big thing in the return game, but that didn't happen in '07.

2007 DRAFT PICKS
links go to NFL.com website

Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School	Jay's ranking	Jay's Draft Value
1	1	Russell, JaMarcus	QB	6-6	263	Louisiana State	# 1 QB	Round 1
2	38	Miller, Zach	TE	6-5	259	Arizona State	# 2 TE	Round 2
3	65	Moses, Quentin	DE	6-5	249	Georgia	#11 DE	Round 3
3	91	Henderson, Mario	OT	6-6	302	Florida State		Late Round Value
3	99	Higgins, Johnnie Lee	WR	5-11	184	Texas-El Paso	#18 WR	Round 4
4	100	Bush, Michael	RB	6-3	253	Louisville	# 6 RB	Round 3
4	110	Bowie, John	CB	5-11	188	Cincinnati	#18 CB	Round 4
5	138	Richardson, Jay	DE	6-5	276	Ohio State		Late Round Value
5	165	Frampton, Eric	SS	5-11	205	Washington State		Late Round Value
6	175	O'Neal, Oren	FB	6-0	244	Arkansas State		Off My Board
7	254	Holland, Johnathan	WR	6-0	191	Louisiana Tech		Late Round Value
FA		Cole, Marquice	CB	5-11	185	Northwestern		Late Round Value
FA		Keele, Eddie	OT	6-5	303	BYU		Late Round Value
FA		McFoy, Chris	WR	6-2	200	USC		Late Round Value
FA		Shotwell, Kyle	OLB	6-1	235	Cal Poly		Late Round Value

2007 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

by Jay Goldberg

Outside of Henderson in round three, the Raiders drafted appropriate value throughout the draft. In terms of needs, the only position not addressed in the draft where the Raiders could have used a player to compete for a job was at strongside linebacker. In college street free agency, Cole and McFoy were the two signings that grabbed my attention the most.

Everyone knows that Russell is a physical specimen with a monster arm. But what people tend to overlook is that he completed two-thirds of his passes last year with a yards-per-pass of 9.15. Russell is an accurate passer as well as being a great deep thrower. He was the right choice by Oakland and will be a NFL star. Miller is a solid tight end with very good hands and a willingness to block. His speed and quickness are above average (his measureables are comparable to Jason Witten) and he will develop into a good tight end but will, most likely, fall short of Pro Bowl status. However, with the problems the Raiders' offensive line had last season and Ugoh and Blalock still on the board, I'm not sure I would have opted for a tight end in this spot. Raider fans better hope that their coaching staff is right and their problems were system-related, not talent-related. Moss had a monster junior year and looked like he would be a first round pick in this draft. Then in his senior year it was shown that teams could game plan and contain him. Consequently he fell to round three. However, his situation in Oakland could be very interesting. Playing opposite a dominate pass rushing end (Burgess), Moss will not be the focus of opposing team defenses which should result in him getting sacks. When he gets numbers, just remember he needs to play opposite a dominate pass rusher to keep up that production. Henderson is a boom or bust prospect who the Raiders, obviously, see as boom only. I had a late round grade on him because of inconsistent play and, supposedly, inconsistent work habits. He needs work on his technique, but at times showed excellent potential. I liked Allen Barbre, a very athletic tackle with a tremendous upside much better at this spot. Higgins supposedly ran a wind-aided 4.29 forty at a campus workout. That speed number is why the Raiders drafted him. However, his forty time at the Combine was 4.48. So for speed only, Clowney should have been the choice. He has also ran a 4.29 at a campus workout but ran a 4.36 at the Combine. Besides, I also Clowney's potential as a receiver better than Higgins. That said, if the Raiders are looking at Higgins to be their punt returner and backup kick returner (behind Carr), then I can't argue this pick. Higgins is a much better return man than Clowney and is a serviceable receiver with good deep speed. Bush was good, not great value on day two. While a big back, he is a tweener back, more like Ron Dayne than Jerome Bettis at the present time. Maybe his rehabilitation from his knee injury will make him more of a workout warrior and help him transform into the big power back. To be anything more than a reliable backup, that is the role he will need to fill. Currently, he is a between the tackles read and react runner without homerun speed. Bowie is one of the best athletes in the draft. However, he is more than that. He showed good corner skills in college as well. He needs work, but will be a top special teams player while he hones his skills. Long term, at worst, he should be a top nickel corner. But he could be more. I thought Richardson's best chance in the NFL would be to add a bit more bulk and play end in a 3-4 defense. While he showed some pass rush ability in college, he has only average speed and quickness so may not be able to have as much success in that area in the NFL. I would have gone with outside linebacker Rufus Alexander to push (or beat out) Sam Williams. Frampton was one of my the late round values who I liked a lot. He is a tough kid who likes to hit and will, at worst, be a top special teams player. From his strong safety position he can both step up and play the run and find the ball in the air and make the interception. As a former corner, the bonus you get with Frampton is a strong safety with plus cover skills. He is a real sleeper who could eventually push Schweigert to the bench (with Huff moving to free safety). O'Neal is a one-dimensional blocking fullback. However, he is a very good blocker. He could also be a straight-line, short-yardage goal line runner. Holland will have to be a stud on special teams to make the Raiders' roster. With his speed and athleticism he could be the Raiders' gunner.

The Raiders signed some interesting players as college street free agents. Cole is one of the most interesting. He had a disappointing senior year but had looked good earlier in his career and had an amazing workout. While Cole showed a great combination of strength and speed, it is his 3.84 short shuttle that really jumps out. If he can get it together, it will be Cole will give the Raiders a player who match up with the quickest slot receivers in the league. Worst case he should be a great special teams player. Keefe may have more upside than Henderson, although coming off an ACL injury he is a bigger risk and further away from contributing. He is an ideal candidate for Oakland's development squad. McFoy was a backup wide receiver at USC who had a shoulder injury his senior year, and is now reunited with his college offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin. McFoy made a couple of outstanding catches at the Hula Bowl, one while holding onto the ball after a monster hit. Worst case, look for McFoy to spend a year or two on the Raiders' development squad and then emerge as a contributor on offense. Shotwell is an athletic undersized linebacker who has a good shot at landing a backup job with the Raiders, especially with Bong moved back to safety.

red indicates workout number in top range at position in draft

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

RUSSELL

JAMARCUS

LOUISIANA ST

6'5.4"

258

4.83

1.67

2.78

Russell has a tremendous arm. He throws the deep ball very well with ease. However, one of the most overlooked aspects of Russell's game is his accuracy. He improved his accuracy tremendously throughout his college career. Last year he completed two-thirds of his passes, not bad for a QB who is not a dink and dunk thrower whose YPP was over 9!

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

MILLER

ZACH

ARIZONA ST

6'4.4"

255

4.72

1.61

2.63

4.36

7.01

34"

9'7"

Miller is a willing blocker and excellent receiver. He has good (not great) speed and quickness for a tight end. Is my #2 rated tight end in the draft but this is not the best draft for tight ends.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

MOSES

QUENTIN

GEORGIA

DE/OLB

6'5.2"

261

4.75

1.59

2.72

4.53

7.38

32"

9'7"

Moses came into his senior year looking like a sure-fire first round pick. Coming off a year with over 20 tackles for losses and 11.5 sacks he was on the verge of top ten. Then he had a very disappointing senior year. He showed he could be game planned and contained. Looking at his measureables that makes sense. However, if he goes to a team with a dominate pass rusher playing opposite him, he could be a valuable contributor. He just can't be the guy.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

HENDERSON

MARIO

FLORIDA ST

6'6.4"

302

5.11

1.75

2.95

4.87

7.60

28.5"

9'1"

Henderson is a right tackle prospect who was inconsistent on the field and in his work habits in college. At times he looked good but will need work on his technique. A potential boom or bust second day selection.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

HIGGINS

JOHNNIE LEE

UTEP

WR/RET

5'11.3"

186

4.48

1.53

2.56

4.32

11.40

6.62

36.5"

10'2"

Higgins looks faster on the football field than the 4.48 he ran at the Combine. He turned in a great senior year catching 82 balls for a 16.1 yards per catch average and 13 touchdowns. He is an improving receiver who still needs to refine his game. He is also a good return man.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

BUSH

MICHAEL

LOUISVILLE

6'1.3"

243

Bush is a runner many drat analysts would have a first round grade on if he did not injure his knee. Personally, I have him as a late second without the injury and an early third with the injury. While Bush is a big back he played in a spread offense and needs to run harder to be the bruising back most think he can be. He does have good feet in the hole and can make sharp cuts. However, he lacks long speed and has durability concerns.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

BOWIE

JOHN

CINCINNATI

5'10.7"

188

4.37

1.46

2.50

4.11

6.79

40"

10'6"

Bowie has decent size, excellent speed and quickness, and is one of the best athletes in the draft. Bowie will be an excellent special teams player while he hones his craft. He did show good potential at corner in college. He should develop into a good nickel corner and could even develop into a starter.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

RICHARDSON

JAY

OHIO ST

6'5.5"

279

4.90

1.65

2.84

4.54

7.26

33"

9'4"

Richardson has the frame to get bigger and play end in a 3-4 defense. He showed some pass rush skills in college but may not be able to transfer those skills to the NFL on a consistent basis because of lack of average speed and quickness.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

FRAMPTON

ERIC

WASHINGTON ST

5'10.7"

205

4.53

1.52

2.55

4.17

11.46

6.84

36.5"

10'2"

Framton is a former corner who plays aggressively, is a goods athlete, quick and can play the run and has a nose for the ball. He could be a nice surprise for the team that drafts him.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

O'NEAL

OREN

ARK STATE

6'0"

244

O'Neal is a powerful blocker and straight ahead runner, however he isn't a polished receiver. He could stick on a team that uses its fullback just for blocking.

COMBINE
YES

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3
CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

HOLLAND

JONATHAN

LOUISIANA TECH

5'11.6"

191

4.45

1.49

2.58

4.34

11.32

7.07

40.5"

10'3"

Holland has good straight-line speed and athleticism. While he has shown flashes as a receiver, he will have to earn his living in the NFL on special teams.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

COLE

MARQUICE

NORTHWESTERN

CB/RET

5'10.4"

185

4.31

1.45

2.51

3.84

6.82

34"

10'5"

Cole has great speed and even better quickness. He had an off year his senior year but had a great workout. He also returns punts. Cole is worth a shot late in the draft. He could be a washout, but he could be a steal.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

KEELE

EDDIE

BYU

6'5.1"

303

5.08

4.27

7.90

Keele has size, strength and quickness. Coming off an ACL injury he will, most likely, be overlooked in the draft but he is a solid developmental prospect. His 5.08 in the forty was impressive considering he was still wearing his knee brace.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

MCFOY

CHRIS

USC

6'2"

200

Playing behind Smith and Jarrett is nothing to be ashamed of. McFoy is a good blocker who had a shoulder injury his senior year. He had a nice Hula Bowl game. McFoy didn't get many chances, but made two outstanding catches, one showing a combination of excellent hands making a tough catch while also displaying toughness hanging onto the ball when he got creamed.

COMBINE
NO

COLLEGE

POS

HGHT

WGHT

BENCH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

VERTICAL
JUMP

BROAD
JUMP

SHOTWELL

KYLE

CAL POLY

OLB

6'1"

235

4.52

1.54

2.63

4.36

6.96

35.5"

10'1"

Shotwell is a slightly undersized, athletic weakside linebacker with good speed. He is a heady player who is a sure tackler and had a fine East-West Shrine Game. He could be a surprise in a team's camp.

2007 TEAM NEEDS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT and FREE AGENCY
major need need depth/possible need not a significant need

QB	As the band Orange Juice said in the 80's, rip it up and start again.
RB	Jordan has talent, apparently, so does Fargas.
WR	Who knows. Will Moss be there? How about Porter?
TE	Anderson shows talent but is inconsistent. Williams is a solid sub.
OL	Looked horrible last year.
DL	Played well, Burgess is a star. Depth is needed.
LB	Morrison and Howard are keepers. I'm not sure about Williams. Bring in competition.
DB	Good young unit with solid depth.
ST	I would bring in competition for Janikowski.

2006 DRAFT PICKS
Links go to write-ups at NFL.com

Oakland
Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School	Jay's ranking	Jay's draft value
1	7	Huff, Michael	SS	6-0	203	Texas	# 1 SS, #5 CB	Round 1
2	38	Howard, Thomas	OLB	6-3	240	Texas-El Paso	# 5 OLB	Round 1
3	69	McQuistan, Paul	G	6-6	313	Weber State	Late Round Value	> Round 4
4	101	Bing, Darnell	SS	6-2	228	Southern California	# 4 SS	Round 2
6	176	Boothe, Kevin	OT	6-5	315	Cornell	# 8 OG	Round 4
7	214	Morris, Chris	C	6-3	300	Michigan State	# 7 C	Round 4
7	255	McMahan, Kevin	WR	6-2	195	Maine		> Round 4
	FA	Buchanon, Will	WR	6-3	191	USC	Late Round Value	> Round 4
	FA	Wusu, Timi	OLB	6-2	219	Stanford	Late Round Value	> Round 4
	FA	Nnabuife, Alvin	SS	6-0	210	SMU	Late Round Value	> Round 4

A-

2006 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

by Jay Goldberg

The Raiders came out of the draft with two first and a second round value, despite reaching in round three. They also got excellent value with Morris in round seven.

Huff was the top defensive back in the draft. He is a rare strong safety with very good cover skills. Huff can play in the box, blanket the deep zone, step out in coverage against wide receivers, make life very difficult for tight ends, and has catch up speed to cover for teammates mistakes, or stop big plays from going the distance. That said, let's hope the Raiders avoid the temptation to move him to corner where he could be top player, but even if he is, he won't be the difference maker he will be at safety. Thomas Howard was another excellent pick. I had a first round grade on this athletic outside linebacker. Howard has the strength, athleticism, and coverage ability to play the strong side, a weak area for the Raiders the last few years. He is also an effective blitzer. Down the line, look for the Raiders to move Morrison to the middle and Howard to the weak side. McQuistan was a reach in three. He is a strong, coachable kid with potential. However, on day one I would want to draft a player that is more of a sure thing. At tackle I liked Whimper, Scott, and Toledo better. At guard, Jean-Gilles would have been a steal, and he would have been my pick for the Raiders at this spot. He is going to be a top guard in the NFL. Bing was excellent value in round four. He is strong and uses his strength to make some monster hits. He also has quickness, and can cut on a dime. At USC Bing would make a big play then disappear for awhile. Some contribute that to inconsistency. I contribute that to boredom by USC having the game in hand. Bing will be a good NFL player, as either a strong safety or outside linebacker, and will be a terrific special teams player. I had a second round grade on Bing. Boothe is a solid run blocker and has more potential as a guard than tackle, although he could develop as a right tackle. My fourth round grade was based on his growth at guard, which stopped his senior year when he was moved to tackle. Morris had one of the best workouts of all centers available in the draft. He has excellent feet, good quickness, and is very strong. I had a fourth round grade on Morris, who could be a replacement for Grove should he become too expensive to keep when he hits free agency. McMahan, may be irrelevant as well as Mr. Irrelevant because of the tremendous depth the Raiders have at wide receiver. He does have decent size and speed and could land on the Raiders' practice squad.

The Raiders signed three college street free agents of note. Buchanon fits the Raiders philosophy because he has terrific speed. He is also 6'3", a good athlete, and the son of former first round pick Willie Buchanon. Unfortunately for Buchanon, the Raiders are deep at receiver so he may have to battle McMahan for a spot on the Raiders' practice squad. Wusu is a decathlete who will be a very good special teams player while learning to play WILL or strong safety. Nnabuife is an athletic safety who has a knock for getting interceptions. He could stick as a special teams player and extra defensive back.

red indicates workout number in top range at position in draft

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Huff

Texas

5'11.7", 198

4.34

1.51

2.57

3.96

6.68

40.5"

10'5"

SS/CB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Huff will be a big hitting, in the box strong safety who has good cover skills, a rarity for big-hitting strong safeties.
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Huff's workout was tremendous showing excellent speed, quickness, change-of-direction skills, strength and athleticism. He will be a Pro Bowl safety and could even be a very good corner. Huff also has excellent tackling skills and racked up over 100 in his senior year.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Howard

UTEP

6'3", 234

4.42

1.53

2.60

4.29

11.22

6.98

39"

10'4"

PLAYER WHO WILL PERFORM BETTER IN NFL THAN MANY DRAFTED BEFORE HIM

Howard is an incredible athlete and a very good football player. He is excellent in pursuit against the run, can blitz, and has the ability to cover backs and tight ends. With all the talent at outside linebacker in this draft, Howard could slip a bit. However, he will be a star in the NFL.

OLB/SS
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Howard is extremely athletic. He plays both the run and the pass very well. He looked particularly good in pass coverage during the Senior Bowl Game.
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Talk about athletes ...... Howard is one of the best in the draft. He is one of the best linebackers in the draft as far as pass coverage is concerned, and has the strength and speed to be effective against the run. Howard may have the ability to be a dominating strong safety as well. Howard also showed good blitzing skills, getting 8 sacks in his Junior year.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

McQuistan, Paul

Weber State

6'6.1", 310

5.07

1.74

2.97

4.65

7.72

29"

9'2"

OT
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - McQuistan is a strong kid with good athleticism. He is also very coachable and got better every year. He is a good developmental prospect.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Bing

USC

6'1.6", 225

4.53

4.07

6.80

38"

10'5"

SS/OLB
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Bing is a big-time hitter with good quickness and change-of-direction skills. He also has acceptable speed and is a good athlete. However, at USC it seemed that Bing would make a big play or two and then fade into the background for awhile. The fact that USC usually had the game in hand could have accounted for that, but if he made big plays throughout games he would be a sure shot first or second round pick.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Boothe

Cornell

6'4.6", 316

5.41

1.85

3.05

5.07

8.37

31.5"

OG
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Boothe plays with a nasty attitude and is solid run blocker. He has improved throughout his time at Cornell, but had a bit of a setback his senior year because he had to play tackle. Boothe has the potential to develop into a solid starter.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Morris, C

Mich State

6'3.4", 298

5.28

4.50

7.42

29"

9'5"

C - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Morris is a hard-working, tough kid who had a much better workout than expected. He could be a steal for a team on day two of the draft.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

McMahan

Maine

6'2", 195

4.45

NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Caught 59 balls for 893 yards and 13 touchdowns at Maine. He has decent size and speed and should get a look as a free agent.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Buchanon

USC

6'3",191

4.38

4.15

6.85

40"

NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Son of former first round pick, defensive end Willie Buchanon. Son Will is a tall receiver with excellent speed and good athleticism. He could get a look in some teams' camp as a special teams player and developmental receiver.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Wusu

Stanford

6'2.3", 219

4.67

4.31

6.91

40.5"

10'1"

OLB/SS - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Wusu was not only one of the school's best decathletes on the track team, he played free safety, strong safety and outside linebacker. He will be a very good special teams player while leaning WILL or strong safety.

PLAYER

COLLEGE

HGT-WGHT

FORTY
DASH

10
DASH

20
DASH

SHORT
SHUTTLE

LONG
SHUTTLE

3 CONE

BENCH

VERTICAL
JUMP

LONG
JUMP

WONDER
LIC

Nnabuife

SMU

6'0.1", 210

4.59

1.56

2.56

40.5"

10'4"

SS - NOT AT COMBINE
Jay Goldberg, 900FootballLinks.NET - Nnabuife is an athletic safety with a nose for the ball. He could make a NFL roster as a backup safety capable of being a dime back, and a special teams performer.

2006 TEAM NEEDS
prior to free agency

OAK

QB	Collins carries a big cap number so will have to renegotiate or be cut, assuming the Raiders even want him back. The Raiders need to settle on a quarterback in the offseason. They also need a backup because Walter isn't ready, and Tuiasosopo isn't highly-valued by the Raiders anymore.
RB	Jordan, Fargas, and Crockett are a deep and talented group. Fargas needs to be used more as a change-of-pace back. He has speed and strength.
WR	Moss, Porter, Gabriel, Curry, Whitted, and the youngsters Morant and Francis are the best receiving corps in the NFL bare none. Not even the Colts (with Wayne) comes close.
TE	Anderson has an interesting upside. He is big and fast for his size. Depth is needed.
OL	The talent is there, the results are not. Still expect the Raiders to line up with the same group, except for right guard where Stone could be a cap casualty. The Raiders need to find a guard to replace Stone and some players to challenge for backup roles.
DL	Three of their top four reserves are UFAs. Luckily their most talented backup, Kelly is not. Burgess and Hamilton, with Kelly in reserve are a good defensive end rotation. Washiington is still a monster against the run, and Sapp showed life back at tackle. Sands, a RFA is a valuable reserve at tackle. The Raiders need another end, and a couple of young tackles.
LB	Morrison is going to be a star. Clark is a solid starter, but could be replaced if a better option is found. Brayton needs to move back to end. He isn't a 4-3 outside linebacker. If he can stay healthy, maybe Sam Williams is. However, an outside linebacker who can start on the strong side is a must. An inside or outside linebacker to challenge Clark would be nice (Morrison can play Mike or Will).
DB	Woodson and Gibson are UFAs. Woodson costs a lot for a player with excellent skills, but who can't stay on the field. Gibson needs to be replaced anyway. Asomugha starts at one corner, but may be better as a nickel or even a free safety. However, free safety isn't an option because Schweigert is the one holdover starter in the secondary who is a guaranteed starter next year. Washington, could also start at corner. The Raiders need a corner with starting ability, and a strong safety.
ST	Janikowski had a bad year and may have to take a pay cut just to compete for a job with the Raiders. Lechler is still a top punter. Carr has ability as a return man, but was better on kickoffs than on punts.

2005 COLLEGE DRAFT

Oakland - links below go to NFL.com reports							Jaybird	Jaybird
Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School	Ranking	Value Board
1	23	Washington, Fabian	CB	5-10	183	Nebraska	# 6 CB	Round 2
2	38	Routt, Stanford	CB	6-0	191	Houston	# 15 CB	Round 3
3	69	Walter, Andrew	QB	6-5	234	Arizona State	# 6 QB	Round 3
3	78	Morrison, Kirk	ILB	6-1	238	San Diego State	# 5 ILB	Round 3
6	175	Hawthorne, Anttaj	DT	6-2	310	Wisconsin	# 5 DT	Round 3
6	212	Riddle, Ryan	DE	6-2	251	California	# 14 DE	Round 4
6	214	McMahon, Pete	OT	6-8	329	Iowa		> Round 4
FA		Brooks, C.J.	OG	6-7	309	Maryland	#13 OG	Round 4

B+

2005 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

The Raiders got solid value throughout their draft. On day two they got a second round talent, who I dropped top round three because of a positive drug test, in round six.

Many will question the Raiders draft. I will not. Some will say that the Raiders reached for the speedy Washington. Again, I will not. Washington is more than a track star playing corner. In addition to being the fastest player in the draft, he is strong, smart, and a tremendous overall athlete. While I had a second round grade on him (due to the fact that their is more risk because he needs work), I wouldn't be surprised if he is considered one of the two best corners in the draft (Rolle) when analyzed five years down the line. Don't expect Washington to come in and star this year. While he has the skills, he will need time to develop. Routt is close to 6'1", and can also fly. He is more track star than corner, but scouts indicated he had the tools with which to work to become a standout corner. While the raiders may get something out of Washington in nickel packages, Routt will likely be confined to special teams this year. In three years look for Washington and Routt to form the fasted pair of corners in the league (with Asomugha moving to safety, and Woodson gone). Walter becomes Collins' heir apparent. He has an excellent arm and can play long ball, something the Raiders will be doing with Moss, Porter, Curry, Gabriel. Morrison is an underrated prospect. It wouldn't surprise me if he replaces Clark at some point this year. Hawthorne was a second round prospect before pulling a Ricky Williams. I dropped him a round, but the NFL dropped him four rounds. He starts in the NFL drug program, but has the skills to be a productive defensive tackle. Riddle doesn't have great size, doesn't have the measureables, but gets it done on the field. He will be a good rotation player at defensive end. McMahon has something that can't be coached or developed, massive size. However, he needs work, and may spend the year on the Raiders' practice squad.

The Raiders signed one college street free agent of note, guard C.J. Brooks. At times Brooks looks like a star, but then he misses his next assignment. If he can become consistent, the Raiders may have found themselves a gem.

RED NUMBERS BELOW - among best at position
Long shuttle numbers (where available) in blue, top performers to be determined later

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Washington	CB	4.22	1.46	3.96			18	41.5"	10'9"	25

Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Washington is the fastest man in the college draft. However, he is much more than just a track star. He has good strength, is a terrific athlete, and is smart. While he is a little rough on the field, as witnessed by the fact that he didn't always play up to his terrific base skills, he has the perfect skills and attitude with which to work. Washington won't make the immediate splash that some of the other corners in the draft will, but long term, with coaching, he could become the superstar cornerback out of this draft. More risk than other corners, but more potential reward as well.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Routt	CB	4.30	1.51	3.92		6.64		36.5"	10'9"	23

JAYBIRD PLAYER WHO WILL HAVE A BETTER NFL CAREER THAN MANY DRAFTED HIGHER THAN HIM

Routt makes this list because you don't often get corners who are 6'1" and run a 4.30 forty. Routt is more track star than football player right now, but he reportedly showed in workouts that he has the base skills and is worth developing.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Walter	QB	4.82								31

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: It's too late for Andrew Walter to challenge Auburn's Campbell or Greene of Georgia for the No. 3 spot on draft boards behind top-rated quarterbacks Alex Smith of Utah and Aaron Rodgers of California. But the former Arizona State star boosted his stock at a Wednesday audition for league scouts. Just about four months removed from surgery to correct a third-degree separation of his right shoulder, suffered in the 2004 season finale, Walter was finally at a point in his rehabilitation where he could work out for NFL talent evaluators. While his arm strength isn't yet back to where it was before the surgery, Walter had a very impressive session, one that should get him chosen in the middle rounds. At 6-feet-5 ½ and 235 pounds, Walter showed surprising movement skills and was clocked at under 4.9 in the 40. But more important than his straight-line speed was the fact he threw well in half-roll and full-rollout simulations, something about which the scouts harbored some reservations. In general, Walter's footwork was better than everyone felt it would be and teams now at least have a viable indicator of how far along the Sun Devils star is in his overall recovery. Walter is a three-year starter, a very bright player who threw for 10,617 yards, with 85 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions during his college career.
NFLFans.com reports: Great size and arm strength, good leader on the field. TD-INT ratio improved consistently, 28-15 to 24-10 to 30-9. Coming off major shoulder injury at the end of this season, will likely undergo surgery, miss workouts, and slip in the draft from a first round spot which he was otherwise assured of.
Allen Trieu of NFLDraftShowcase.com reports: Walter has the physical tools to play in the pros, and his statistics are a mixed bag of impressive numbers, but too many turnovers. Both the positives and negatives are mainly due to the sheer volume of passes he throws over the course of a season. He has been talked about as a high 1st Rounder, but right now, I see him as a QB who needs 2-3 years before he can play.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Major injury late in the year will hurt draft position, not because of his skill level, but because I expect Frye, Campbell and Greene to have good post-seasons.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Morrison	ILB	4.72		4.29	11.80	7.05	25	33"	9'6"	25

Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Morrison is a football player. He plays faster on the field than he times. While some may question his long-term potential as a starting linebacker, I don't. He will be a solid pro.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Morrison was all over the field at the Senior Bowl. He looked good playing the run, tackled well, and looked good when dropping into pass coverage.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Hawthorne	DT	5.12	1.84	4.72		7.77	24	30.5"	8'7"	25

Colin Lindsay of GBNReport.com reports: 310-pound Wisconsin DT Anttaj Hawthorne showed some surprising upfield quickness at Senior Bowl practice on Tuesday.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Played in the shadow of Erasmus James this year. Hawthorne was considered the better NFL prospect at the start of the year. Hawthorne hurt his draft position with his "Ricky-Williams-like-moment." Hawthorne has good skills, but will enter the NFL with one strike against him in the drug program.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Riddle	DE	4.86		4.60	12.30	7.34	18	20.5"	8'11"	33

Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Riddle doesn't have the size, and doesn't have the measureables, he is just a good football player.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
McMahon	OT	5.44	1.86	4.80		7.98	26	27"	7'8"	21

Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: McMahon has size but is limited athletically. He will need a lot of work to stick on an NFL roster. However, his size is intriguing.

PLAYER	POS	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP	WONDER- LIC
Brooks	OG	5.18	1.77	4.59		7.63	24	31.5"	9'0"	24

Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Brooks has the skills to become a starter in the NFL. However, he will need to become more consistent. At times he looks great, then he misses an assignment. It appears as though coaching and work can help Brooks overcome his inconsistency.

2005 TEAM NEEDS PRIOR TO FREE AGENCY AND THE DRAFT

Jay Goldberg of 90FootballLinks.NET reports:
major need need position possible need, depth needed no real need
Key UFA: Zereoue RB, Redmond RB, Porter WR, Woodson CB, Terrell S, Hamilton DE
Key RFA: Anderson S (3rd)
NOTE - RFA COMPENSATION AT MINIMUM TENDER

QB: Collins settked in at QB and should be good for the next couple of years. A youing QB should be drafted to be the heir apparent, Tuiasosopo's time is passing him bye.
RB: RB: I would still like to see what would happen (injury probably but still ...) if Fargas was given the ball 20 times a game. Look for the Raiders to revamp this postion with Fargas, and maybe Redmond being the only two currently on the roster brought back,and a new starter targeted in the offseason.
WR: If Porter leaves in free agency, this becomes a major need position. Gabriel and Curry have potential but neither can carry the load as a number one right now. Morant and Francis are young players who could be factors, eventually. But probably not in 2005.
TE: A very deep position with Johnson, Jolley and Williams.
OL: A very good pass blocking unit, the Raiders have a good mix of veterans and young players. If the raiders address this unit in the offseason, it's to make it dominate, not because of a pressing need.
DL: DL: The experiment didn't work. The Raiders have better names than production along their defensive line. Brayton will probaly be better as a pass rushing outside linebacker. Sapp doesn't have the speed for end. And Washington's best days are behind him.
LB: LB: Harris is becoming a reliable player. Clark is steady, but can be improved upon. Smith and Grant combined for 2 sacks as oustside linebackers in a 3-4. That can't happen again. Improvement all around is needed.
DB: DB: Woodson is an UFA. There is talk that the Raiders will let Buchanon go. Ashomuga will be given a chance to start. he was a high draft pick so it's time to see what he can do. Walker is a good backup to have. Sweigert should replace Buchanan at free safety this year. Anderson, a RFA, had his moments.
ST: Punting and kicking are in very good hands. An upgrade in the return game is needed.

2004 COLLEGE DRAFT

Oakland
Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School
1	2	Gallery, Robert	OT	6-7	323	Iowa
2	45	Grove, Jake	C	6-3	300	Virginia Tech
3	67	Schweigert, Stuart	FS	6-1	212	Purdue
4	99	Francis, Carlos	WR	5-9	198	Texas Tech
5	134	Morant, Johnnie	WR	6-4	229	Syracuse
6	166	Johnson, Shawn	DE	6-4	273	Delaware
6	182	Spencer, Cody	ILB	6-2	242	North Texas
7	245	Anderson, Courtney	TE	6-6	269	San Jose State
7	255	Sommersell, Andre	OLB	6-2	227	Colorado State

B+

2004 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

The Raiders had a good draft. My only minor, and I mean minor, criticism is that they could have used a "true" outside linebacker for their new 3-4. They are currently planning on starting two second year players (Brayton and Williams) who were defensive lineman in college. The strategy has worked before, just look at the litany of great outside linebackers for the Steelers, but OLB Keyaron Fox in round three would have been hard for me to pass up. I then would have selected FS Dexter Reid in round four, or FS Jason Shivers in round five instead of one of the receivers. Gallery selected in round one is going to be a stud left tackle. He was heads and tails above any other lineman in the draft, and should be a pro bowl player. Grove was the best center available in the draft. He too was heads and tails above any other center. With the off-field erratic Barrett Robbins starting at center, Grove should be a quality backup this year, and slide into a starting role next year. A solid selection. Schweigert is currently listed second on the Raiders depth chart behind Gibson at strong safety. That's a mistake. Schweigert's strength is as a playmaker, but is currently not a consistent tackler. He tackles well enough for a free safety and could be a good one at that position, but does not tackle not well enough to play in the box as a strong safety. If this is the Raiders' long-term plan, they should have taken Fox here, and Dexter Reid in round four. Francis is the fastest receiver in the draft class. He does not have the size to be a starter, but could be valuable as a slot receiver and kick returner. Morant has size and good speed. His problem is inconsistent hands. That can be worked on. It will be interesting to see if he or Doug Gabriel wins the starting spot opposite Jerry Porter long term. Both have the potential to be quality NFL starters. Johnson is an intriguing player. He could fail to make the roster, or could have a key role as a pass-rush specialist. Spencer was the Raiders best value pick in the draft. I had a fourth round grade for Spencer. He is a strong, tough player who can hit and wrap-up. He is a good fit as an inside linebacker in a 3-4. It wouldn't surprise me if he makes a run at Dwayne Rudd's starting job this year or next. Anderson is an athlete. He has excellent size and good hands. He will need time to develop, but has a chance to be a good player. In round seven, that's not bad. Sommersell is another defensive lineman being moved to outside linebacker. The Raiders have enough of those. Sommersell has his work cut out for him to make the roster. As far as college street free agents go, the player that caught my eye was Tommie Kelly. He is a defensive-end-defensive tackle 'tweener. However, he is a good football player. While a little light for a tackle he could be a good anchor end in a 3-4 defense. I predict he will make the Raiders' roster and be a contributor this year.

PLAYER/ TEAM NEWS PRIOR TO DRAFT

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Gallery	T	6.07.1, 323	4.95	1.68	4.38	7.42	25	30"	8-9

Gallery
Iowa

#1 ranked OT by Jaybird

Matt Gambill of AllProScouting reports: Gallery (OT) is the man. Kirk Ferentz is the BEST OL coach in America. He's done wonders with Gallery, and last year with Steinbach and Nelson. Gallery is a lock to go top 10 and has All-Pro written all over him. Obviously, staying healthy will be the key, but everything is in place for him to be a stud.
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: Iowa offensive tackle Robert Gallery, certainly passed the "eyeball test" on Thursday afternoon here (at the Combine). Regarded by most league scouts as the premier offensive line prospect in the 2004 draft, Gallery turned heads and dropped jaws by doing little more than walking through the halls of the convention center that is adjacent to the RCA Dome. If a player could qualify for rookie of the year just by looking the part, Gallery might be the guy. He has the long arms and quick feet demanded by the blindside blocker's position. He is bright, articulate, and a film-room junkie. And if character counts in the NFL these days, not many prospects at this week's combine workouts here are as squeaky clean.
Pete Prisco of SportsLine.com reports: Speaking of Gallery, he was measured at 6-7, 323 pounds Thursday. Gallery is the prototype left tackle, and says former Jaguars player Tony Boselli is one of the players he watched closely to emulate.
InsideTheLeague.com reports: Iowa OT Robert Gallery was super-smooth in his workout at the NFL Combine Saturday, Feb. 21. He was clocked at 4.97 and 5.00 in the 40-yard dash. Gallery did 24 reps in bench-press drills. While he did 32, only 24 were considered acceptable in form.
ProFootballWeekly.com reports: Gallery, who measured in at the Combine at 6-7 1/8, 323, came through with flying colors Saturday when he ran a 4.95 — the third-best time in his group.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Grove	C	6-3 5/8, 300	5.19	1.80	4.34	-	31	35"	9-9

Grove
Virginia Tech

#1 ranked C by Jaybird

Jamie Moore of gbnreport.com (Great Blue North Report) reports: C Jake Grove, Virginia Tech... Rough, tough interior trenchman with good quickness who is also very sound fundamentally (comments from Senior Bowl).
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: "He's a smart kid, both football-smart and natural intelligence, and you need that at the center spot," said Washington Redskins' assistant head coach Joe Bugel, one of the finest offensive line coaches of this generation. "And he's tough, gritty, keeps coming at you and doesn't back down from anybody. Plus the center position, after being shuttled to the background for too many years, is slowly starting to emerge again."
InsideTheLeague.com reports: Virginia Tech C Jake Grove was clocked at 5.03 in the 40-yard dash, but he fell at the tape clutching his right hamstring. He didn't run a second 40 due to the injury.
GBNReport.com reports: Virginia Tech C Jake Grove reminds a lot of former Ohio State and current New Orleans OG LeCharles Bentley, a second round pick in 2002 who has already established himself as one of the top young offensive linemen in the game. Like Bentley, Grove isn't all that big at 6-3, 303, but NFL teams love the fact that he's very smart, as well as tough and just a wee bit nasty.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Schweigert	FS	6-1 7/8, 215	4.44	3.89	-	6.68	19	38"	9-5

Schweigert
Purdue

#6 ranked FS by Jaybird

Jamie Moore of gbnreport.com (Great Blue North Report) reports: FS Stuart Schweigert, Purdue... Did a nice job locking in on TEs and RBs coming out of the backfield; also showed decent instincts and aggressiveness coming up in support of the run defense.
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: While, a good player, the play I remember most from the Senior Bowl for Schwiegert was being run over by Greg Jones on his way to the goal line.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: Purdue's Stuart Schweigert ran in the low 4.4s at the Combine.

PLAYER	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Francis	5-9, 198	4.27	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Francis
Texas Tech

Jaybird: below 4th round

Nolan Nawrocki of ProFootballWeekly.com reports: He’s not very big and lacks polish, but Francis is a burner who was running faster than Virginia Tech CB DeAngelo Hall where they were training in Arizona. He doesn’t return punts like Bethel Johnson, but a team might consider using him in that capacity after he produces a Johnson-like time in the 40.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: Carlos Francis of Texas Tech ran in the low 4.3s at the combine and is probably the fastest guy we've seen.
Matt Gambill of AllProScouting reports: Texas Tech WR Carlos Francis ran a 4.27 according to personnel in Indy. I have been told the 4.27 hand held was a 4.30 electronic.
NFLFans.com reports: Did positional drills and was impressive but did not do any running tests or measurables at his pro day.

PLAYER	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Morant	6-4 1/8, 224	4.45	1.68	4.13	11.66	7.12	-	41"	10-10

Morant
Syracuse

#17 ranked WR by Jaybird

Nolan Nawrocki and Mike Wilkening of ProFootballWeekly.com report: One scout (at the Senior Bowl) talked about how Syracuse WR Johnnie Morant was a prospect worth taking a shot on because of his athleticism. Morant is raw, but he’s big (6-foot-4, 225 pounds), has a chiseled physique and is fast (4.46 in the 40). Morant later made a nice over-the-shoulder, bread-basket catch in practice (at the Senior Bowl).
Jay Goldberg of 900FootballLinks.NET reports: Morant had an up and down Senior Bowl game, making some nice plays and dropping some passes.
Drew Boylhart of www.thehuddlereport.com reports: Johnnie Morant - Syracuse - He is a sleeper if he gets his act together. Not a #1 WR, but might turn into a hell of a #2 WR. Size, speed, strength, good hands…the only thing that holds him back is his head. Can he take the hitting in the pros?
Matt Gambill of AllProScouting reports: Johnnie Morant ran 4.60, 4.53 at the Combine.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Johnson	DE	6-4, 273	4.87	-	-	-	-	-	-

Johnson
Delaware

Jaybird: below 4th round

NFLCountDown.com reports: Very productive...Good motor...Has a nice variety of pass rush moves...Sack artist. Not super fast...Not a great athlete...Needs to get stronger...Has a shoulder injury.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Spencer	I	6.01.9, 242	-	-	-	-	27	-	-

Spencer
North Texas

#9 ranked ILB by Jaybird

NFLFans.com reports: Spencer, a MLB, picked up Team Overall Most Valuable Player honors at Thursday’s 65th Blue-Gray Classic which will certainly help his draft status.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: Spencer is one of the players who really impressed at the combine. He did drills at school but did not run or lift. After the workout, Spencer gave a private workout to the Cowboys' linebacker coach.

PLAYER	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Anderson	6.06.2, 269	4.85	-	-	-	-	17	-	-

Anderson
San Jose State

Jaybird: below 4th round

NFLFans.com reports: Anderson was an all-conference defensive end as a sophomore at Contra Costa College (Coach Jose Ortega). As a freshman, he was a wide receiver before moving to defensive end. The graduate of Richmond (Calif.) High School lettered in football (Coach Tom Chids), basketball and track and field. He played quarterback, wide receiver and outside linebacker at the prep level. In 1998, he caught 50 passes for 1,005 yards and scored 12 touchdowns to earn all-state honors. Anderson was an all-league basketball player and a sprinter on the track and field team.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	SHORT SHUTTLE	LONG SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Sommersell	O	6-2, 227	4.63	4.71	-	7.68	23	31½"	10-0

Sommersell
Colorado State

Jaybird: below 4th round

Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports: Sommersell played defensive end in college but they worked him out as a linebacker on pro day.

PLAYER	POS	HGT-WGHT	FORTY	10 DASH	SHORT SHUTTLE	3 CONE	BENCH	VERTICAL JUMP	LONG JUMP
Kelly	DT/DE	6-5¾, 299	4.94	-	4.63	-	24	28"	-

T Kelly
Miss State

#11 ranked DT by Jaybird; DE, ranked below 4th round

NFLFans.com reports: DT/DE Tom Kelly has all the tools and potential to be an excellent DT in the NFL. He did not start playing football until he was a senior in HS and therefore is still a work in progress. With his size and physical skills he is an interesting prospect.

2003 COLLEGE DRAFT

Oakland
Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School
1	31	Asomugha, Nnamdi	CB	6-2	213	California
1	32	Brayton, Tyler	DE	6-6	277	Colorado
2	63	Johnson, Teyo	WR	6-5	247	Stanford
3	83	Williams, Sam	OLB	6-5	244	Fresno State
3	96	Fargas, Justin	RB	6-1	219	Southern California
4	129	Pierson, Shurron	DE	6-2	243	South Florida
5	167	Gabriel, Doug	WR	6-2	213	Central Florida
6	204	Rykert, Dustin	OT	6-6	327	Brigham Young
7	246	Shabazz, Siddeeq	SS	5-11	202	New Mexico State
7	262	Hoag, Ryan	WR	6-2	200	Gustavus Adolphus

2003 COLLEGE DRAFT REPORT CARD

The Raiders draft is filled with very good athletes who may need some time to develop. However, in time, this draft may serve as the base for the Raiders of 2005. And with these players, they won't miss a beat. Asomugha and Brayton should both be on the field this year. However, both are making position changes. Asomugha from safety to corner, and Bayton from tackle to end. Both have excellent potential. Johnson is another player being asked to change positions. Johnson will move from wide receiver to tight end. He could become a dangerous goal line threat as a second tight end. There are mixed opinions about Williams. However, I believe he is an intriguing prospect with a good upside. The Raiders are thinking about making him a defensive end. Fargas was the steal of the draft. He will become the next superstar NFL running back. He will eventually beat out Wheatley as the change-of-pace back this year, and will take over full time next year. He is strong. He has great speed. He can cut. He can make people miss. He can run over people. He can catch. Best pick in the entire draft. Pierson is another player that may be asked to make a position change. He played defensive end in college and will, most likely, be moved to outside linebacker in the pros. He has a chance to be a dominate outside linebacker with excellent pass-rushing skills. Pierson was an excellent pick by the Raiders in round four. Gabriel has good raw skills. Down the line he could be the starter opposite Jerry Porter. Rykert is another prospect with good skills but in need of coaching. He should also develop into a good player. Shabazz is a hitter who will help on special teams and has the size, speed and ability to eventually push for the starting strong safety spot. Hoag was another steal in round seven. He will need time to develop since he is coming from a small school, but he could challenge Gabriel for the eventually starting spot opposite Jerry Porter.

Asomugha

WORKOUT NUMBERS Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Asomugha (Ah-so-moo-gah) measured up at 6-2 5/8, which is ¼th of an inch taller than he was at the Combine, and weighed in at 210 pounds. In the 40, he ran a 4.38 and a 4.44. He also ran a 4.22 short shuttle and a 7.03 three-cone drill. Asomugha worked out on Wednesday, not on Thursday.

Brayton

AllProScouting.com reports Tyler Brayton - Colorado measured : 6061, 277, and ran a 4.67 in the forty.
Draft2003.com reports, Tyler Brayton, Colorado -- Ran 4.67 in the 40... at 6-foot-6, 267 pounds... also did 25 reps of 225 pounds... this has been one of our personal favorites all season...
WORKOUT NUMBERS Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Brayton, who weighed in at 270 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.65 and 4.64. His vertical jump was 36½ inches and his broad jump was 9-10. (Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com had 4.58-4.66 forty).
Great Blue North (GBNreport.com) reports DE Tyler Brayton displayed uncommon athletic skills, running in the 4.65 range at 270 pounds; Brayton also posted a 36 inch vertical leap

T Johnson

Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com reports Teyo Johnson measured 6056, 247, with 5% body fat.
WORKOUT NUMBERS Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com reports, Teyo Johnson's pro day numbers: 6051, 246, 18 reps, 4.67 and 4.70 forty. Looked very good catching and was impressive in blocking drills. (Rob Rang at boomersdraft.com provided Johnson's height and weight to Gambill).

Williams

WORKOUT NUMBERS Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Sam Williams, who had not been invited to the Combine, was the star of the afternoon (at Fresno State). He measured 6-4½, 250 pounds and ran three times on rough grass for an average of 4.58. Had a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-1 long jump. Williams worked out again March 18th and did even better at this second Pro Day. He ran the 40 at 4.57 and 4.58 on grass. He weighed in at 257 pounds and upgraded his bench to 21 lifts. Williams ran the short shuttle in 4.24.
Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com reports, Fresno State LB/DE Sam Williams really impressed this week at his campus pro day workout. Williams played exclusively at OLB at Fresno, but is versatile enough to play as a rush end, as well as MLB. He may fit best in a 3-4 scheme as an OLB, but his athleticism and versatility will add value to his draft status. Williams is currently projected as a solid 4th-5th rounder on my draft board.

Fargas

Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: if the early indications mean anything (at combine) Justin Fargas of USC has helped himself some. Fargas could turn out to be a special back, a stunning combination of raw physicality and natural running skills, and likely has already accomplished enough here to move himself up into the second round. Fargas is a well-chiseled 219 pounds. And he was able to do 27 repetitions on the standard 225-pound bench press drill. If he can run under 4.5 during his on-campus workout, Fargas can solidify himself among the top running backs in this draft.
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: USC RB Justin Fargas dramatically improved his stock at Friday’s NFL Combine. He was one of just nine RBs who chose to participate in the 40-yard dash, and the decision proved wise, as he recorded two sub-4.4 times. His first run was recorded from 4.28-4.33 seconds, while his second didn’t disappoint at 4.34-4.35 seconds. His performance might have established him as the premier RB prospect and could catapult him into the first round. “That kid made himself a lot of money today,” said one AFC personnel man. “He made everyone sit up in their seats.”
Houston Texans' GM Charley Casserly spoke highly of USC RB Justin Fargas on Sunday. Fargas, during his workout at the NFL Combine, was clocked at 4.39 seconds in the 40-yard dash. "This guy ran a 4.39," Casserly said. "We didn’t think he could run that fast. There’s a lot of re-thinking on Justin Fargas. He’s got a heart, he’s tough, he was productive ... now, I don’t know, we all have to weigh the injury history on him." With such a weak running back class, Casserly noted the other backs should have made every effort to work out, too. "Justin Fargas took the bull by the horns."
Draft2003.com reports: Justin Fargas, USC -- Ran 4.31 in the 40... at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds... did 27 reps of 225 pounds... was cleared by team doctors... in a light class of running backs... he may have moved himself into the first day...
WORKOUT NUMBERS Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com reports, Fargas' Pro Day numbers: 39" vertical, 4.10 short shuttle, 7.00 3 cone. Looked tremendous in pass catching drills. Caught everythig with hands.

Pierson

AllProScouting.com reports Shurron Pierson - South Florida: had best 40 timeof DLs running a pair of low 4.6s, and had broad job 1/2 foot further from nearest competitor and looked exceptional when used at LB.
The Great Blue North report (gbnreport.com) reports South Florida DE Shurron Pierson, who most teams are actually looking at as an OLB, ran a 4.6 40 and reportedly looked very athletic doing LB drills.
Tony Pauline, of TFY Draft Preview reports little known junior prospect from the University of South Florida Poerson sped across the field with a pair of forty times in the low 4.6 area. He then blew away the competition with a broad jump more than 6 inches longer than the nearest linemen. When placed at linebacker Pierson displayed the same quickness and explosion as he had earlier in the day. While the NFL rarely looks to the USF Bulls for pro-prospects, Pierson has turned their heads and may now be headed towards the first day of the draft.
Len Pasquarelli of ESPN.com reports: WLB Shurron Pierson (South Florida) helped his draft status at the combine. One of the many hybrid linebacker-end prospects who were here, but a guy who could develop into more than just a situational pass rusher. Has a live body and ran in the 4.6s, showed some explosiveness, and a bit of potential for being able to drop and cover. Could be a first-day player now.
Draft203.com reports, Shurron Pierson, South Florida -- Ran 4.58 in the 40... at 6-foot-2, 247 pounds... also had 10'8" broad jump... worked out at both defensive end and linebacker... and looked much better in the linebacker drills than most expected... likely made himself into a early second day selection...
WORKOUT NUMBERS Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Pierson is listed at 6-foot-1¾ and 244 pounds. He ran the 40 in 4.56 and 4.60, had a 42-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-3 long jump, ran the short shuttle in 4.34, and 7.48 in the three-cone drill. He did not lift.

Gabriel

AllProScouting.com reports Doug Gabriel measured in at 6-2, 214 and in the 4.5's. (low end) at the combine.
Draft2003.com reports, Doug Gabriel, Central Florida -- Ran 4.50 in the 40... at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds... under-rated workout performance... has the size/speed teams crave... he is not a finished product... but was one of the few bigger receivers to run well at the Combine..
WORKOUT NUMBERS Matt Gambill of AllProScouting.com reports , Gabriel ran 4.52 and 4.55 at pro day.

Shabazz

WORKOUT NUMBERS Gil Brandt of NFL.com reports, Shabazz was 5-11, ran at 201 pounds, and had a 4.43-second average in the 40. He also recorded a 36-inch vertical, a 10-foot-2 broad jump, a time of 4.29 seconds in the short shuttle, and 7.59 seconds in the three-cone drill, plus 17 benches.

Hoag

Draft203.com reports, Ryan Hoag, Gustavus Adolphus -- Ran 4.42 in the 40... at 6-foot-2, 201 pounds... caught the ball well... and has added 10 pounds to his frame since last spring... moved himself from late round to mid-round consideration... great kid, as well...

2002 COLLEGE DRAFT

GRADE : A

Buchanan should pair with Woodson (this year or next depending upon Allen's retirement) to form one of the best young CB tandems in the league. Harris fills a need and is a very good player. I like Langston more than some others. He is big and athletic. Hopefully he will be motivated. Jolley should develop into a good pass-catching TE. Coleman was great value in round five. He could be in the d-line rotation this season. Ned went from interesting to not-so-interesting (after posting forty times in the 4.6's at the combine) to interesting again (4.47 forty time in private workouts). Glad the Raiders noticed. Curry is a better athlete than QB so who knows how/if he will develop. But worth a shot.

Links below take you to NFL.com's report on player, position or college team.

Rd	Sel#	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	School
1	17	Buchanon, Phillip	CB	5-10	186	Miami (Fla.)
1	23	Harris, Napoleon	OLB	6-3	253	Northwestern
2	53	Walker, Langston	OT	6-8	344	California
2	55	Jolley, Doug	TE	6-4	251	Brigham Young
5	147	Coleman, Kenyon	DE	6-5	284	UCLA
6	189	Nash, Keyon	SS	6-3	213	Albany State
6	197	Ned, Larry	RB	5-11	219	San Diego State
7	235	Curry, Ronald	QB	6-3	220	North Carolina

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