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Draft Dish: Raiders look to get lucky No. 7
April 26, 2006 Print it
By War Room scouts
For Sporting News
There are more draft news and rumors every day as we head toward Saturday's noon ET kickoff at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Although many players are still inching up and down teams' boards, their final landing spots have so much to do with each team's specific needs and how individual scouts see the players' talents being used in specific offenses and defenses.
With the top of the draft being so unsettled, the team most uneasy is Oakland. A growing segment of the Raiders' personnel department likes Texas quarterback Vince Young, and they are the most likely candidates to trade up and get him.
But as much as they would like to do that, there is a faction in Oakland that believes the team can stay at No. 7 and still get him. That same Raiders group is not married to Young and feels comfortable it will get a great player at that spot without giving up draft picks or veteran players.
If Young falls to them, great. If not, Southern California's Matt Leinart may be available, and they would take him. If both quarterbacks are gone, owner Al Davis reportedly likes Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, who could step in as a rookie starter. If Hawk also is gone, remember that the Raiders were the team that fell in love with offensive tackle Winston Justice at Southern Cal's pro day.
The Raiders will get a starter somewhere seventh, but Young is the only player they will move up for, and reports are that the Saints, Titans and the Jets have all gotten calls from teams looking to trade up. . . .
Another QB who warrants a serious look is Oregon's Kellen Clemens. He has gotten plenty of buzz this week and appears to now be a first-day prospect on some teams' boards, and could leapfrog Brodie Croyle and Charlie Whitehurst, who concern scouts with their respective injury histories. Look for Clemens to come off the board sometime during Round 2.
There are a few players moving up and down the board at offensive tackle. While all of the talk about offensive linemen has focused on Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and rightfully so, his college teammate, tackle Brad Butler, has been making a move up. Butler isn't nearly as talented or athletic as Ferguson, but at 6-7 1/8, 310, he is big and physical, and now looks to be an early-Day 2 prospect.
Another lineman on the rise is Boston College offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood. He struggled mightily at the Senior Bowl and didn't have a particularly good Combine or pro day, and as a result, dropped out of a potential first-round position and into Day 2. But as the evaluation process has intensified, he has stood up well and could go higher than his grade would indicate. Both offensive and defensive linemen are thin on depth in this draft, and that could pull Trueblood back into Day 1.
Earlier this week, Auburn offensive tackle Marcus McNeill's physical troubles came to light, to the point where he could have dropped down to the third round with a bad back. But several teams have told us that though there are concerns, he has too much upside to not be taken in the second round.
On the other hand, Miami offensive tackle Eric Winston, thought to be a possible late first-round pick, is more likely an early Round 2 selection. He generated much excitement coming back from injury as a senior and performing well in pre-draft workouts, but scouts are still leery of taking him in Round 1. They have noticed some inconsistency on tape, which could be a result of the injury.
Some personnel people feel he hasn't quite made the full transition from tight. Winston's upside, however, is unquestioned, so expect him to have found a home by the end of the second round.
Mississippi State running back Jerious Norwood made some early noise at the Senior Bowl where many scouts thought he was the fastest back in the draft at the time. A lack of size (5-11 5/8) had kept him off Day 1 boards, but on tape scouts have seen a player who plays bigger than his size and still has that blazing speed. He has moved ahead of UCLA's Maurice Drew on many teams' boards and is now a solid first-day candidate.
April 26, 2006 Print it
By War Room scouts
For Sporting News
There are more draft news and rumors every day as we head toward Saturday's noon ET kickoff at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Although many players are still inching up and down teams' boards, their final landing spots have so much to do with each team's specific needs and how individual scouts see the players' talents being used in specific offenses and defenses.
With the top of the draft being so unsettled, the team most uneasy is Oakland. A growing segment of the Raiders' personnel department likes Texas quarterback Vince Young, and they are the most likely candidates to trade up and get him.
But as much as they would like to do that, there is a faction in Oakland that believes the team can stay at No. 7 and still get him. That same Raiders group is not married to Young and feels comfortable it will get a great player at that spot without giving up draft picks or veteran players.
If Young falls to them, great. If not, Southern California's Matt Leinart may be available, and they would take him. If both quarterbacks are gone, owner Al Davis reportedly likes Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk, who could step in as a rookie starter. If Hawk also is gone, remember that the Raiders were the team that fell in love with offensive tackle Winston Justice at Southern Cal's pro day.
The Raiders will get a starter somewhere seventh, but Young is the only player they will move up for, and reports are that the Saints, Titans and the Jets have all gotten calls from teams looking to trade up. . . .
Another QB who warrants a serious look is Oregon's Kellen Clemens. He has gotten plenty of buzz this week and appears to now be a first-day prospect on some teams' boards, and could leapfrog Brodie Croyle and Charlie Whitehurst, who concern scouts with their respective injury histories. Look for Clemens to come off the board sometime during Round 2.
There are a few players moving up and down the board at offensive tackle. While all of the talk about offensive linemen has focused on Virginia tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and rightfully so, his college teammate, tackle Brad Butler, has been making a move up. Butler isn't nearly as talented or athletic as Ferguson, but at 6-7 1/8, 310, he is big and physical, and now looks to be an early-Day 2 prospect.
Another lineman on the rise is Boston College offensive tackle Jeremy Trueblood. He struggled mightily at the Senior Bowl and didn't have a particularly good Combine or pro day, and as a result, dropped out of a potential first-round position and into Day 2. But as the evaluation process has intensified, he has stood up well and could go higher than his grade would indicate. Both offensive and defensive linemen are thin on depth in this draft, and that could pull Trueblood back into Day 1.
Earlier this week, Auburn offensive tackle Marcus McNeill's physical troubles came to light, to the point where he could have dropped down to the third round with a bad back. But several teams have told us that though there are concerns, he has too much upside to not be taken in the second round.
On the other hand, Miami offensive tackle Eric Winston, thought to be a possible late first-round pick, is more likely an early Round 2 selection. He generated much excitement coming back from injury as a senior and performing well in pre-draft workouts, but scouts are still leery of taking him in Round 1. They have noticed some inconsistency on tape, which could be a result of the injury.
Some personnel people feel he hasn't quite made the full transition from tight. Winston's upside, however, is unquestioned, so expect him to have found a home by the end of the second round.
Mississippi State running back Jerious Norwood made some early noise at the Senior Bowl where many scouts thought he was the fastest back in the draft at the time. A lack of size (5-11 5/8) had kept him off Day 1 boards, but on tape scouts have seen a player who plays bigger than his size and still has that blazing speed. He has moved ahead of UCLA's Maurice Drew on many teams' boards and is now a solid first-day candidate.
