Considering Crabtree, Maclin

By Os Davis  |   Monday, March 16, 2009  |  Comments( 32 )

Oakland Raiders
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You know what Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis secretly wants right now? One of those public opinion polls taken to determine the popularity of our sitting leaders. For after the signing of Khalif Barnes, Davis & Co. are surely earning a high approval rating from the citizens of Raider Nation, an unprecedented bounce in popularity that rebounds the Great Leader to heights he hasn’t hit since the beginning of this decade.

In fact, thanks to the recent bizarre legal maneuvering by Lane Kiffin, the grizzled owner and the young hotshot have switched their public roles as Dick Cheney and Barack Obama, with agent-for-change Davis actually coming off better in the public perception than the whiny Kiffin has since hired by University of Tennessee.

Now, about that No. 7 overall draft pick. Specifically, do you really want to go Michael Crabtree, Raiders?

This theory – and it’s one taken for granted all over the mock draft-laden blogosphere – depends firstly on the Detroit Lions taking Matt Stafford at No. 1; the St. Louis, Kansas City, Seattle, Cleveland and Cincinnati front offices are then depended on to draft rationally, taking hardcore line players over the glitz and glamour of skill types.

The biggest threat to the Raiders’ obtaining Crabtree would appear to be Cincinnati, thanks to the combination of T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s departure and a Bengals front office known for serious silliness on Draft Day ever since Akili Smith came to town in 1999. (OK, so they got Carson Palmer right, but come on, Johnathan Joseph?) This scenario is spawning subsequent mock drafts in which all-purpose stud Jeremy Maclin lands in Oakland at that No. 7 spot.

In fact, the more you read on Maclin, the more attractive he comes off. Sure, he only played for the University of Missouri Tigers for two seasons, but his record-breaking skill set could make Maclin absolutely lethal in the sort of high-flying, fast-moving offense the Raiders look to be building. (Maclin can return punts, kickoffs, catch passes and run for 375 yards? Imagine him in a Raiders "Wildcat" formation.)

But whether sold on Crabtree or Maclin, a bit of sobriety if you will for a draft that has gobs of seemingly quality offensive and defensive linemen: We’re talking about wide receivers here! Ask any Lions fan about the hit-or-miss ratio of a first-round WR. Or check the recent record; it’s actually right around 50/50.

Since 2005, the hits among first-round wide receivers would include Dwayne Bowe, Roddy White, Braylon Edwards, Anthony Gonzalez, Santonio Holmes and Calvin Johnson. In the class of underwhelming at best go Mark Clayton, Buster Davis, Robert Meachem, the immortal Mike Williams and Troy Williamson. You may decide for yourself in which category to slot token head case Matt Jones. Of note as well is that zero WRs were selected in the first round in the 2008 draft.

Thus, the question on Crabtree in particular becomes: Do Davis et al really want to flip a coin on success with the No. 7 overall?

Do you feel lucky? Do you?
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About Os Davis

Os Davis has taken a twisted route to get to RealFootball365.com in his nearly 17 years in professional writing, working in any number of capacities in the sportswriting, news reporting and film criticism worlds. In print media, Os has served as editor at a few publications, including Albuquerque's ...
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No.1
The Shape		02:41 AM
03/17/2009
First off, we aren't the Lions. so please don't compare us to those morons. Crabtree seems to be the favorite if he falls to us. ...
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No.2
svduran1		06:34 AM
03/17/2009
The money is on Crabtree then Maclin, either would be an excellent pick, unless Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe fall to seven. ...
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No.3
The Franchise		07:21 AM
03/17/2009
i want to here more about the rumor that khaliff barnes only signed after the raiders promised to not take an offensive tackle ...
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