What in Madden’s name happened?

By Os Davis  |   Tuesday, April 28, 2009  |  Comments( 45 )

Oakland Raiders
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OK, so maybe the selection of Darrius Heyward-Bey at No. 7 isn’t quite what Oakland Raiders fans (or any outside observer, really) were expecting in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft, but consider the pluses. Not only was Heyward-Bey probably the fastest wide receiver in the entire draft and did Michael Crabtree appear to be a serious attitude-wielding prima donna, but head coach Tom Cable argues that the pick “gives us the ability to throw the ball deep."

I’m sorry, I can’t do this. The Raiders' draft was puzzling, to say the least. Never mind that I was halfway home to creating a solid conspiracy theory that had John Madden masterminding Raider personnel moves behind the scenes since the day after Super Bowl XLIII. Never mind that on the eve of the draft I’d bet my friend Paul (a San Diego Chargers pusher) $10 per game that Oakland finished higher than San Diego in 2009. This bunch of selections makes it look as though Al Davis set his Madden – the game, not the man – to “Auto Draft”; how else to explain the logic behind some of these picks?

Heyward-Bey has been thoroughly trashed since about two seconds after the pick was announced; the nation was immediately given voice on the Maryland wide receiver by ESPN’s Cris Carter, who ranted thoroughly, stating, “...He had games when he didn't even catch a ball. So how's that going to help JaMarcus (Russell)? If he can't catch a ball in an ACC game, he gets to the National Football League, now you know they have a reason to make him disappear. It's easy to take a receiver out of a game, and a receiver does not help a young quarterback that much,” et cetera. Not everyone is a Raider hater, right, ‘Nation? Bad pick.

Second-rounder Michael Mitchell is notable for two characteristics already in his young NFL career: the alliteration of his name and the veritable shock across football land at this pick. Seriously, what happened here? Did Davis & Co. panic at seeing Louis Delmas and Patrick Chung go off the board at Nos. 33 and 34? (And then – gasp – Alphonso Smith at No. 37!) Does Cable really dislike Michael Huff and Rashad Baker so much that he’s willing to take a fifth-round talent in the second? You could argue that because Mitchell came to Oakland along with fourth- and sixth-round selections for “merely” a second-round pick, the Raiders made out decently here, but I wouldn’t. Bad pick.

Then there’s Louis Murphy out of University of Florida, another speedster to play WR. The book on Murphy is pretty compelling stuff, and you can bet NFL scouts are making note of this receiver’s background as a QB with extensive experience in T formations. Just run the "Wildcat," baby! What’s worrisome about the Murphy choice, along with the Heyward-Bey addition and Cable’s stated intention not to sign any more free-agent receivers, is the amount of responsibility this guy will immediately have to assume.

While the official profile (link just above) has Murphy “projected as a solid No. 3 wideout,” the guy caught just 75 passes in his college career, 73 in his final two seasons. Assuming Javon Walker is over, Murphy is guaranteed to have to catch more than 37 passes and one wonders if he’s up to the job. Risky pick.

Hopes for the pass rush in 2009 have now been pinned in part on the excellently named duo of Stryker Sulak (who despite rumors, is not actually of Romulan descent) and Slade Norris, who ultimately came over in the Samson Satele deal. Both OLB Norris and DE Sulak are known for the play coming off the edge. If there is optimism to be had about the Raiders’ 2009 draft, it is to be found here. These could be genius picks – and, unless one is at least a viable part-time starter, possibly too-little, too-late picks – but who can be optimistic after Oakland’s draft debacle?

The moral of the story: Never bet before draft weekend.
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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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