Saturday, The Weekend Draft.
Mr. Jerry Davis, on the phone.
Mr. Al Davis, on the other phone?With only 5 picks, the Oakland Raiders had a handful of choices to make.
They all fit a pattern, SPEED-n-SIZE.
4th overall.
Failed to trade-up for Howie Jr. The son of Howie Long, #75, the Hall of Famer who played for the Raiders. His son, Chris Long. Acquiring him, seemed natural, and useful. Needed to make a deal with the St. Louis Rams for the 2nd overall selection, which no team was able to negotiate. Demands for the trade, were likely high, and exorbitant. A trade missed. The first three choices eliminated from consideration: Jake Long, Chris Long, Matt Ryan. An Offensive Lineman, Defensive Lineman, and Quarterback. Raiders on the clock.
With Dorsey, McFadden and Gholston available, would other teams be interested in trading for this Oakland choice? Apparently, no.
The pick?
Running Back, Darren McFadden of Arkansas.
Two-time, 2nd place finisher for the Heisman Trophy. SPEED-n-SIZE.
Speed of 4.37 at 211.
321 yards rushing vs. South Carolina, November 2007.
The best speed-n-size ratio of all available running backs. Only one faster runner (Chris Johnson), and he weighed in 14 pounds lighter.
Two weeks after putting up 321 yards vs. South Carolina, leads team to a 50-48 Triple Overtime Win vs. #1 ranked LSU - 206 yards rushing, 3 touchdowns, plus 1 touchdown pass.
With Dorsey, McFadden and Gholston available, would other teams be interested in trading for this Oakland choice? Apparently, no.
The pick?
Running Back, Darren McFadden of Arkansas.
Two-time, 2nd place finisher for the Heisman Trophy. SPEED-n-SIZE.Speed of 4.37 at 211.
321 yards rushing vs. South Carolina, November 2007.The best speed-n-size ratio of all available running backs. Only one faster runner (Chris Johnson), and he weighed in 14 pounds lighter.
Two weeks after putting up 321 yards vs. South Carolina, leads team to a 50-48 Triple Overtime Win vs. #1 ranked LSU - 206 yards rushing, 3 touchdowns, plus 1 touchdown pass.
“I knew months ago that this was the guy we had to have and we had to figure out a way to get him,” Kiffin said Saturday not long after McFadden’s named was called at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. “Hopefully, he was going to fall to us.” In fact, Kiffin said the Raiders examined the possibility of even trading up to get McFadden, who became just the third running back to be taken in the first round by Al Davis in club history, joining Marcus Allen (1982) and Napoleon Kaufman (1995).
Coach Lane Kiffin plans to use him as he did Reggie Bush while offensive coordinator at USC—as both a runner and receiver who can be moved around like a chess piece and create mismatches.
“I can’t find a person who will tell me that when he walks in the building to the time he leaves that they’ve had any type of issue with Darren, whether it’s in the weight room or the way he practices or the relationships with his coaches. This is a guy who really loves football and is passionate about football and is passionate in the way that he prepares for it.”—Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, dismissing so-called character issues associated with top pick Darren McFadden.
“That was the first thing to look at. Then you look at the off-field issues and there are some things there. They have been based on other people's actions that brought him into them.” Kiffin said the Raiders contacted McFadden before choosing him yesterday. “I said, 'Darren, if you're there when we go, I need this, this and this. And you need to understand this is how you need to be.' He's right on the same page and understands it all.”
Stats
4,590 yards rushing in 3 seasons
(#2 all time in SEC - H. Walker)
Retired DL Warren Sapp endorsed the selection of Arkansas RB Darren McFadden by the Oakland Raiders. "I love Darren McFadden to the Raiders," Sapp said Monday, April 28. "I think it's a perfect fit… I understand that (coach) Lane Kiffin and (offensive coordinator) Greg Knapp are supposed to be these guys who make their living by throwing the ball," Sapp added. "But our offense is made for downhill guys. And this kid will make that offense go."
Coach Lane Kiffin plans to use him as he did Reggie Bush while offensive coordinator at USC—as both a runner and receiver who can be moved around like a chess piece and create mismatches.
“I can’t find a person who will tell me that when he walks in the building to the time he leaves that they’ve had any type of issue with Darren, whether it’s in the weight room or the way he practices or the relationships with his coaches. This is a guy who really loves football and is passionate about football and is passionate in the way that he prepares for it.”—Raiders coach Lane Kiffin, dismissing so-called character issues associated with top pick Darren McFadden.
“That was the first thing to look at. Then you look at the off-field issues and there are some things there. They have been based on other people's actions that brought him into them.” Kiffin said the Raiders contacted McFadden before choosing him yesterday. “I said, 'Darren, if you're there when we go, I need this, this and this. And you need to understand this is how you need to be.' He's right on the same page and understands it all.”
Stats
4,590 yards rushing in 3 seasons
(#2 all time in SEC - H. Walker)
Retired DL Warren Sapp endorsed the selection of Arkansas RB Darren McFadden by the Oakland Raiders. "I love Darren McFadden to the Raiders," Sapp said Monday, April 28. "I think it's a perfect fit… I understand that (coach) Lane Kiffin and (offensive coordinator) Greg Knapp are supposed to be these guys who make their living by throwing the ball," Sapp added. "But our offense is made for downhill guys. And this kid will make that offense go."McFadden believes he can combine with last year's number one pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell, to drive a new young Raiders offence. "Two young guys in the backfield, a guy like JaMarcus Russell and me, it will be a great thing back there," he said. "Both of us, coming out of the SEC (Southeastern Conference), we've played against good teams. "And it's something that we want to carry over to the NFL so I feel we can be a great asset for them."
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