Silver and Black Report

or, some subtle causes for optimism in Oakland

The Raiders have made a lot of news for the wrong reasons recently, but as they prepare for their Opening Night battle against the San Diego Chargers, the situation is starting to look brighter.

In the headlines, All-Pro defensive lineman Richard Seymour is finally headed to Oakland after a brief delay, but there are several other reasons the Silver & Black could have the last laugh on critics who have mocked them for:

• Drafting wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey ahead of fellow wideout Michael Crabtree

• Signing, then releasing, former Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia

• The release of sixth-round draft pick Stryker Sulak before he even signed

• And the situation involving head coach Tom Cable and assistant Randy Hanson

Rookie receivers:

Let’s start with the Raiders’ pair of rookie receivers, top pick Heyward-Bey and fourth-round pick Louis Murphy.

I mean “start” literally. With training camp up-and-comer Chaz Schilens injured, the duo will be in the opening lineup Monday night. Meanwhile, Crabtree will be watching on television, the San Francisco 49ers’ top pick still unsigned and with his people threatening to have him hold out all season.

With big-play punt returner Johnnie Lee Higgins in the slot and tight end Zach Miller remaining JaMarcus Russell’s favorite target, the Raider passing attack might be able to keep up with what Cable hopes is an overpowering ground game.

Still sorry the Raiders “reached” for an Opening Night starter, rather than an egotist who didn’t want to come to the Bay Area?

Backup quarterbacks:

At one point, pundits suggested the Raiders might have the NFL’s best No. 2 quarterback in Garcia, who appeared in four Pro Bowls, one as recently as 2007.

Instead, Garcia found himself unemployed, while Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye earned both backup jobs instead of one beating the other out for clipboard duty. Frankly, I’m quite pleased — Garcia had served his purpose. The popular belief was that his presence would push second-year starter Russell, the No.1 overall pick in 2007.

But let’s face facts: If there are doubts about Russell, they are about things like conditioning and preparation — and Garcia was around during the offseason and training camp (albeit with a calf injury) to press him when he would need it most.

Now that the season is starting, the Raiders need Russell to be confident, not looking over his shoulder.

They also need a capable backup in the event of an injury. And even without Garcia, they still have two. Neither Gradkowski nor Frye may seem like a traditional starting quarterback, but both have been just that. Gradkowski has a dozen career starts, including 11 for Tampa Bay in 2006. Frye, once the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback of the future, has 20, including a pair of Opening Day starts, in 2006 and 2007.

The best-case scenario is that neither takes a snap in anything but garbage time, but frankly, the Raiders have a pair of young, but flawed “tarnished prospects” who are willing to bide their time — instead of an old, unhappy, flawed journeyman who thought he should be starting instead of sitting.

Rookie free agents:

The Raiders’ personnel department has long been a target of abuse, thanks to such first-round disappointments as Derrick Gibson, Phillip Buchanon, Napoleon Harris, and more.

The failure of a late-round pick such as Sulak only adds fuel to the fire, erasing memories of such second-day successes as Ronald Curry and Trevor Scott.

But what the members of the team’s War Room don’t get enough credit for is the work they do when draft weekend is over: Uncovering and signing undrafted rookies.

This year, a pair of those “diamonds in the rough” will be dressed on Monday night: kick returner Nick Miller and defensive tackle Desmond Bryant. Both are small-school prospects, Miller from Southern Utah and Bryant at Harvard.

They join some others who any team could have had, but the Raiders got: Starting defensive tackle Tommy Kelly, starting strongside linebacker Ricky Brown and kick returner Louis Rankin.

Practice squad:

Speaking of Rankin, the preseason star of 2008 and 2009 is part of a trio of undrafted University of Washington ’08 alumni who have been a part of the Oakland roster for two years running.

Rankin is the only one who made the 53-man roster out of camp, but fullback Marcel Reese and defensive end Greyson Gunheim are on the practice squad — where all three spent most of 2008, before getting cups of coffee on the main roster late in the season.

By waiving Gunheim and fourth-round pick Slade Norris in the 53-man cutdown, plus the earlier release of Sulak, the Raiders ruined any chance at crafting an “all-name defense.”

Ah, what might have been.

Nonetheless, it’s what could yet be that is filling Raider fans’ heads as the Monday night doubleheader draws near. What could yet be: Positive headlines that could erase six years of negative ones. Ah, Opening Night. When every team is undefeated, and hope springs eternal… or at least until kickoff.

With a healthy Darren McFadden carrying the ball alongside Michael Bush and Justin Fargas, and veteran star defensive linemen Seymour and Greg Ellis on board to help stop other teams’ rushers for new coordinator John Marshall, this could be the year dreams of playoffs, or even a .500 season, are more than just wishful thinking.

By tomorrow night, we’ll know.

Contact Eric Strauss — S&B Report Staff Columnist

Why character has been a position of need — even 7th overall

When Tom Cable took over as interim head coach of the Raiders four games into the 2008 season, he was a breath of fresh air after the disastrous Lane Kiffin/Al Davis feud.

The former offensive line coach managed to bring a positive, blue-collar attitude to the job, in stark contrast to his young, ambitious, often-tactless predecessor. And, although he built what appears to be a strong working relationship with the Oakland owner, he managed to avoid becoming a Joe Bugel-esque “yes man.”

Cable got the permanent job this offseason. And if the 2009 NFL Draft is any indication, he has set about addressing one of the team’s most pressing needs.

No, I’m not talking about wide receiver, although that unit was certainly bolstered with Top-10 pick Darrius Heyward-Bey and fourth-round pick Louis Murphy.

I’m talking about attitude. Character has often meant something else entirely in Oakland, but the “Bad Boys” of the 1970s were football players first, and party animals second. In the “me-first” 21st century of professional sports, that football-first type of character has often fallen by the wayside.

Never was that more evident in Oakland than in 2008, when the Raiders gambled on talented players with dubious attitudes. Corner DeAngelo Hall didn’t last the season, safety Gibril Wilson won’t see a second season and wideout Javon Walker is only back because he’s too expensive to cut. On the upside, rookie running back Darren McFadden was a model citizen, belying questions about some college off-field troubles.

Meanwhile, of course, Kiffin sabotaged his NFL career before fleeing to the University of Tennessee, where he is already winning friends and influencing people around the Southeastern Conference.

Young players, young coaches … that’s not always a mix that works. Just ask Josh McDaniels, Jay Cutler and the fans up in Denver.

The Cable Guy is doing something different entirely.

First, the team added some old hands to its coaching staff: Noted quarterback gurus Ted Tollner and Paul Hackett to work with the offense, replacing among others John DiFilippo, who had promise, but was one of the youngest assistants in the NFL. If popular defensive coordinator Rob Ryan had to be replaced, at least it was with a man who can bring many years of experience and wisdom to the job in John Marshall.

Then, the team made it a point to re-sign a pair of highly-regarded leaders in Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and Pro Bowl punter Shane Lechler.

Most recently, Oakland brought in self-made veteran Jeff Garcia to push, and set an example for, young quarterback JaMarcus Russell.

Finally, the team put an emphasis on a characteristic of need as much — if not more — than a position of need.

Say what you want about the Raiders’ draft picks in terms of talent versus where they were chosen. The fact is, if scouting reports are to be believed, all seven of the newest Raiders come in with scintillating attitudes and work ethics.

Face it, with the Raiders trying to return to respectability, losing with malcontents such as Jerry Porter on board just adds insult to injury.

No matter what the 2009 team does, if Cable has his way, it will play hard and do the best it possibly can. After six years of double-digit losses, that’s a big step forward, whether or not the team reaches the magic .500 mark — or even the playoffs.

Anyone who has witnessed the loner Randy Moss, or the flamboyant Porter, or even the (rightfully) downtrodden Andrew Walter, should be able to see that attitude is as important as the interior defensive line when it comes to turning things around.

Even a Charles Woodson, who played hard every Sunday, but practiced lazily Monday through Saturday, is the wrong kind of player for a young team desperate to improve.

Give me more Kirk Morrisons, more Asomughas, more Robert Gallerys — yes, he’s taken more than his fair share of grief, but he works hard and desperately wants to succeed.

Positive attitudes are contagious. They can make a bad team decent, and a decent team good. Strong leaders help bring out the best in their teammates, and strong workers push their teammates to match their effort.

And if that is the reason the Raiders overdrafted Heyward-Bey with the 7th overall pick instead of the ego that is Michael Crabtree, you know what? I’m at least somewhat okay with that.

Because the Raiders need more than a guy who can catch passes. They need a guy who wants to be there catching them.

The tragic Darrell Russell put up his best seasons when he worked alongside veteran Russell Maryland and not underachieving Chester McGlockton. Russell followed the example of the man next to him — with McGlockton at his side, he underachieved; with Russell there, he was an All-Pro.

When young running backs like McFadden and Michael Bush see Justin Fargas giving his all on every play, how can they help but try to do the same if they want to take his job, and carries, away?

The party line is that the Raiders never rebuild. But this year, it seems like they are rebuilding something: The atmosphere in the locker room.

I, for one, am grateful. If nice guys really do finish last, at least the 2009 Raiders should be a losing team with players I care about, players I want to see do their best. There’s plenty of evidence out of Oakland in recent years that jerks finish last, too.

After all, the surest way to alienate even the most loyal fans — the Raider Nation — is not just to lose. It’s to lose without giving a damn. And there has been too much of that in the Bay Area lately.

Tom Cable is sending a message, and I can read it loud and clear. I hope the players and the rest of the organization do the same.

The Class of 2009:
1. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: “Elevated his draft stock at the Combine with a superb workout and even better interviews.” — Pro Football Weekly
2. Michael Mitchell, S, Ohio: “Michael is one of the most impressive guys that we’ve had here in our program. When he comes in to work, his demeanor is all business. He attacks all his workouts and drills.” — Cliff Marshall, Ignition Athletics Performance Group, as quoted in the Dayton Daily News
3. Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin: “Productive high-motor player that gives it up from snap to whistle.” — Ourlads’ Scouting Services
4a. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida: “Coach Urban Meyer has said Murphy improved as a player and a person as much as anyone he has coached.” — Lindy’s
4b. Slade Norris, LB, Oregon State: “He’s been here long enough, and I think guys look up to him. He’s contributed enough that guys can look to him as a leader and a mentor. The young guys lean heavy on him.” — Joe Seumalo, Oregon State defensive line coach, as quoted in the Gazette-Times
6a. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri: “High-motor overachiever.” — Pro Football Weekly
6b. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa: Myers may be the exception to the rule, with an arrest and conviction in his background. But his biography on Raiders.com indicates he won the Coaches’ Appreciation Award on offense, and that’s something.

Two trades net Oakland picks for defensive end, tight end

NEW YORK — Two years ago, the New York Giants proved you can never have enough pass rushers when they upset the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

The Raiders seem to have adopted that philosophy in the 2009 NFL Draft. Despite glaring needs on both lines, Oakland used a sixth-round pick acquired by trade on its third pass-rushing prospect of the draft: Stryker Sulak, a defensive end from Missouri.

Sulak joins third-rounder Matt Shaughnessy and fourth-rounder Slade Norris as hybrid end/linebacker types chosen on the draft’s second day.

The all-name team candidate racked up 10 sacks as a senior, giving him 22 in his four-year career. Ourlads’ Scouting Services had Sulak rated ahead of Shaughnessy among defensive ends, saying he “graded out in the top two-thirds athletically of all the defensive ends.”

Shortly after taking Sulak, the Raiders worked a trade with the Carolina Panthers for the 202nd overall pick. The Raiders swapped its seventh-round pick, 216th overall, and a sixth-round pick in 2010 to Carolina.

They then chose Brandon Myers, an Iowa tight end who Pro Football Weekly described as “used primarily as a blocker in a pro-style offense.” The Raiders have been searching for a blocking tight end to complement Zach Miller and free the team’s leading receiver up to be an even bigger part of the offense.

Myers checks in at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds and Pro Football Weekly says he “looks the part” of a pro tight end.

On the other hand, Pro Football Weekly says Sulak — surprise — needs more size, but has the motor and desire to make the team.

Both players could be projects for strength coach Brad Roll, as PFW says Myers “lacks upper-body strength,” and Sulak is “not naturally big or strong … lacks strength against the run.”

On the other hand, Sulak “Demonstrates good first-step quickness,” according to Ourlads’, and is “Smart and tough enough to adjust to a new position” if a move to linebacker is necessary.

“Reacts very quickly mentally and physically in a game situation to make a play,” Ourlads’ continues.

And although Pro Football Weekly says Sulak may only be a pass-rush specialist — and “not a creative pass rusher” at that — being called a “high-motor overachiever” is never a bad thing.

Like Shaughnessy before him, Sulak has something of an injury history, including a plantar fascia injury and torn knee cartilage.

Myers is the only player the Raiders drafted in 2009 with any off-field questions, coping not just with a back injury between his junior and senior years, but an arrest (and guilty plea) after an alcohol-related incident.

Perhaps of more concern is PFW’s assessment that he “Does not finish blocks despite being in great position. Does not play with enough urgency or show the killer instinct desired in a base blocker.”

On the bright side, “Myers has some upside to continue developing but is still very much a developmental project.”

The Raiders did not have a fifth-round pick, thanks to the disastrous DeAngelo Hall trade of 2008 (Dallas wound up with the pick and, perhaps inspired by Hall, took cornerback DeAngelo Smith of Cincinnati), and sent their own sixth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins as part of the Samson Satele trade earlier in the offseason (Miami selected tackle Andrew Gardener of Georgia Tech). Oakland acquired the 199th overall pick from New England when they traded down in the second round.

Earlier in the day, Southern Cal kicker David Buehler, nephew of longtime Raiders lineman George, went to the Dallas Cowboys — who change kickers about as often as they change head coaches — late in the fifth round.

The sixth round has been something of a graveyard for rookie hopes. Only two of Oakland’s 13 sixth-rounders since 1999 remain on the team — Trevor Scott from 2008 and Oren O’Neal from 2007, who missed the season on injured reserve — and only two others played anywhere in the NFL last season (Cody Spencer with the New York Jets and Kevin Boothe with the New York Giants).

Recent Raiders sixth-round picks:
2008 — Trevor Scott, defensive end, Buffalo
2007 — Oren O’Neal, fullback, Arkansas State
2006 — Kevin Boothe, offensive lineman, Cornell
2005 — Anttaj Hawthorne, defensive tackle, Wisconsin; Ryan Riddle, linebacker, California; Pete McMahon, offensive tackle, Iowa
2004 — Shawn Johnson, defensive end, Delaware; Cody Spencer, linebacker, North Texas
2003 — Dustin Rykert, offensive tackle, Brigham Young
2002 — Keyon Nash, defensive back, Albany (Ga.) State; Larry Ned, running back, San Diego State
2001 — Chris Cooper, defensive lineman, Nebraska-Omaha
2000 — none
1999 — Daren Yancy, defensive lineman, Brigham Young
Bold = On current Raiders’ roster

As the Raiders have no more picks remaining in the 2009 draft, S&B Report is wrapping up its live coverage from New York City. Should Oakland deal back into the seventh round, watch for later updates!

Raiders continue to address needs with second receiver, rush linebacker

NEW YORK — If a position is a big enough need for the Oakland Raiders to address it once at the 2009 NFL Draft, it seems, it’s a big enough need to address it twice.

The Raiders had two picks in the fourth round, and went back to familiar territory with both, choosing wide receiver Louis Murphy of Florida 124th overall and linebacker/end Slade Norris of Oregon State 126th overall.

The choices came three rounds after Oakland chose wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey 7th overall and just a round after choosing end/linebacker Matt Shaughnessy 71st overall.

Murphy is another impressive size/speed package at 6-foot-2 and with a 4.35 40 time. Of course, he’ll have to battle Florida’s reputation for underachieving pro receivers (“Played in a spread offense that has not translated well to the pro game,” is how Pro Football Weekly put it), but he certainly has the tools.

In fact, his scouting report reads like a poor man’s version of Heyward-Bey, the Raiders’ first-round pick: The part-time track man has “rare straight line speed” but “appears to have stiff hands,” according to Ourlads’ Scouting Services.

Murphy was a two-year starter for the Gators, catching 37 balls in 2007 and 38 in 2008, and combining for a dozen touchdowns in the two seasons.

“Excellent speed downfield … fast off the line, getting to top speed quickly,” Lindy’s raves. “… In other offenses, Murphy could have been a 1,000 yard receiver.”

Indeed, the Sporting News blames Florida’s enviable depth for Murphy’s lack of notice. “Murphy has not gotten much attention because he has played alongside great Gator receivers Andre Caldwell (now with the Bengals) and Percy Harvin, but he has the physical tools to become a solid starter in the pros.”

“Needs developmental time, but is a good-sized target,” Ourlads’ sums up.

Norris, who projects as an outside linebacker at 245 pounds, started his Oregon State career as a walk-on safety, then bulked up to linebacker, and finally defensive end, according to an El Paso Times article. His 19 sacks in the past two years are good for fourth in Beavers’ history.

“His body has changed dramatically through the years,” coach Mike Riley told the Gazette-Times newspaper. “He’s one of our great developmental stories, from a safety to a linebacker to defensive end.”

Like Shaughnessy, he has a checkered injury history, missing most of the 2005 season, as well as part of his senior year in high school.

Both players also continue the “character” theme of this draft.

“Coach Urban Meyer has said Murphy improved as a player and a person as much as anyone he has coached,” Lindy’s said.

Meanwhile, Norris was Oregon State’s defensive scout-team MVP as a sophomore and earned a scholarship for his final two years.

“He’s been here long enough, and I think guys look up to him,” defensive line coach Joe Seumalo told the Gazette-Times newspaper. “He’s contributed enough that guys can look to him as a leader and a mentor. The young guys lean heavy on him.”

The Raiders originally owned the 108th overall pick in the fourth round, but swapped picks with Miami (getting the 126th pick) as part of the deal for center Samson Satele. They acquired the 124th pick from New England when they traded down in the second round. Miami selected wide receiver Brian Hartline of Ohio State 108th overall.

Oakland’s two picks in the round were sandwiched around the Atlanta Falcons at No. 125. Atlanta chose Lawrence Sidbury, a defensive end from Richmond.

During the round, a pair of Raiders fans, Rich from California and Andy from New Jersey, took part in the on-stage trivia contest. Unfortunately, Derrick Burgess jersey-clad Rich missed an Atlanta Falcons question. But Nnamdi Asomugha jersey-wearing Andy won a Razr phone later in the round by nailing a Baltimore Ravens question.

A challenging round:

The fourth round has not been kind to the Raiders in recent years: Of the nine players selected in the round since 1999, only two were on the active roster in 2008, with two more missing the season on injured reserve. In fact, the nine players have combined for only 45 games in Silver & Black, an average of five each, without a single start.

• Tyvon Branch, DB, 2008: 8 games in 2008
• Arman Shields, WR, 2008: 0 games (IR) in 2008
• Michael Bush, RB, 2007-2008: 15 games in 2008, 0 (R/PUP) in 2007
• John Bowie, CB, 2007-2008: 0 games (IR) in 2008, 2 in 2007
• Darnell Bing, LB, 2006: 0 games (IR) in 2006
• Carlos Francis, WR, 2004-2006: 0 games (IR) in 2006, 0 (IA) in 2005, 5 in 2004
• Shurron Pierson, DE, 2003: 6 games in 2003
• Junior Ioane, DT, 2000-2002: 6 games in 2002, 3 in 2001, 0 (IA) in 2000
• Dameane Douglas, WR, 1999: 0 games (cut) in 1999

The Raiders’ fourth-round woes are not a recent development. In fact, the team has not selected a true impact player in the fourth round since Greg Townsend in 1983.

Could Shaughnessy become Burgess insurance?

NEW YORK — The Raiders need linemen — there was no doubt before the draft offensive and defensive tackle were identified as positions of need.

But when Oakland drafted a lineman early in the third round, it wasn’t a stout run-stuffer or massive pass-blocker. It was a hybrid rush end/linebacker from Wisconsin: Matt Shaughnessy.

Like Trevor Scott the year before, Shaughnessy is a small end, checking in at 6-foot-5, but only 266 pounds.

“(He) could find a home as a rush linebacker,” Lindy’s said, “but has enough athleticism and strength to fit at defensive end.”

The Sporting News was high on Shaughnessy despite a mid-round grade, saying, “He has a great frame for an NFL franchise to build and mold him.”

His selection could be a sign the Raiders are concerned about the future of former All Pro Derrick Burgess, whose sack totals at left end have declined every year he has been with the Raiders. With Burgess due for free agency next year, and second-year man Scott in line to move up as a rush specialist, Oakland could be hedging its bets.

Opinions are mixed on his Shaughnessy’s upside, with the Sporting News touting his “good burst at the snap” and good leverage and recognition. “Plays strong,” Ourlads’ said.

But Pro Football Weekly says he “plays too upright” and “lacks explosion and functional strength … neutralized too often.”

Most scouting reports agree if Shaughnessy is going to make it as an end, he needs more strength and bulk.

Could that mean a move to strongside linebacker, a perennial weakness, is in the newest Raider’s future?

“Projects to an outside edge 3-4 pass rusher,” Ourlads’ Scouting Services said. “An oversized linebacker that has good speed and long arms.”

But Pro Football Weekly raises another red flag, saying he “looks unnatural dropping into coverage.”

Shaughnessy was a four-year starter who averaged four sacks a year for the Badgers, but he tailed off as a senior after a broken leg in the spring and the sudden death of his brother in the summer.

“Saw his stock drop as a senior when his deficiencies rose to the forefront,” Pro Football Weekly said.

His checkered injury history also includes a torn ACL suffered as a freshman.

“Injuries followed Shaughnessy throughout his career at Wisconsin,” Lindy’s said, but added that he played through them.

There are also questions if Shaughnessy has maxed out his potential.

“May have hit a wall and what you see is what you get,” Ourlads’ said.

But Shaughnessy also followed a Raiders pattern this draft: Good character.

Even the NFL’s player profile calls him a “classic battler.”

“Good instincts and intelligence,” Ourlads’ said. “Productive high-motor player that gives it up from snap to whistle. Tough and aggressive.”

Recent Raiders third-round draft picks:
2009 — Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin
2008 — none
2007 — Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia; Mario Henderson, OT, Florida State; Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR/KR, UTEP
2006 — Paul McQuistan, OL, Weber State
2005 — Andrew Walter, QB, Arizona State; KIRK MORRISON, LB, San Diego State
2004 — Stuart Schweigert, S, Purdue
2003 — Sam Williams, DE, Fresno State; JUSTIN FARGAS, RB, Southern California
Bold = Still with Raiders; CAPS = Starter in 2008

A safety makes Oakland 2-for-2 filling holes

NEW YORK — Two months ago, Ohio safety Mike Mitchell wasn’t on anyone’s radar screen. Then came the Bobcats’ Pro Day workout in March.

And Mitchell made up for an NFL Combine snub by running a sub-4.4 40-yard dash.

Suddenly, everyone was talking about the defensive back — who wasn’t even ranked in many major NFL Draft guides.

If that wasn’t enough, today, Oakland made the small-school heavy hitter a surprise second-round pick.

The Raiders, who held the 40th overall pick, traded it to New England for one of the Patriots’ later second-round picks, 47th overall, and the Patriots’ fourth- and sixth-round picks (124th and 199th overall). They used that second-round pick to take Mitchell.

Mitchell first got Raiders fans’ attention when the team brought him in for an interview.

“There stood Hall of Fame cornerback Willie Brown, telling Mitchell what an instant difference he’d make in the Raiders’ secondary during last week’s predraft visit,” according to David White of SFGate.com. “Making matters all the more overwhelming, Raiders secondary coach Lionel Washington — a former NFL player himself — was reading from the exact same script.

The Raiders must be counting on Mitchell to elevate his game quickly. They have only three safeties on the roster: Disappointing former first-rounder Michael Huff, second-year man Tyvon Branch and former undrafted free agent Hiram Eugene.

Mitchell is considered a strong safety, but thinks of himself as something of a combo free and strong safety.

“I can do both things. I can do both very well,” he told White in an interview. “At strong safety, I can be a very imposing force against the run and in the pass game. At free, I can be a guy who covers well and gets interceptions. I have a lot of God-given gifts than can really help, especially an organization that needs a safety.”

Mitchell, who stands a shade over 6-foot and weighs 220 pounds, registered 212 tackles and seven interceptions in four years for the Bobcats.

“I feel like God has blessed me with pretty good physical ability,” Mitchell told SunTimes.com’s Brad Biggs. “The thing that is intriguing to most people is I’m 6-0.5 and 220 pounds. They look at my body and I’m a lean guy, I’m strong, I’m fast, I run a 4.43 40 so I’ve got some pretty athletic tools to go along with size.”

And the small-school star may have become one of the first players to truly take benefit from the Internet age, as his “greatest hits” reel on YouTube quickly made the rounds.

“My highlight tape is out now, my agent has done an amazing job, and I think people are starting to see,” he told Biggs.

Even with his growing reputation, Mitchell was thought to have worked his way into the middle rounds.

But the Raiders are never afraid to take a player they want, regardless of what round that player is projected at. Sometimes (Langston Walker, Round 2, 2003) it doesn’t work out for them. Other times (Nnamdi Asomugha, Round 1, 2003) it works out very well, indeed.

Football.com also touted Mitchell’s football intelligence, quoting Ohio defensive coordinator Jimmy Burrow as saying, “He watched more tape than really anybody I ever had, to prepare for a game.”

Ohio head coach Frank Solich didn’t hesitate to praise Mitchell to Football.com: “As the years went on, he just continued to mature as a player and as an individual. … I enjoyed being around him. We can always count on him in terms of being a physical player, and that’s always where you want to start. … Mike was exceptional at that.”

The only possible concern: Biggs pointed out Mitchell was banged up his senior year, with a late-season knee injury.

The Raiders will have three picks on the draft’s second day: Third round, fourth round and seventh round. Oakland is undoubtedly still looking for help at both offensive and defensive tackle. Check back with S&B Report and Raiderfans.net tomorrow for all our coverage of the 2009 NFL Draft.

NEW YORK — All of the top receivers were still on the board when the Oakland Raiders got a chance to pick 7th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft.

And Al Davis’ Raiders stayed true to form, opting for the size/speed combination of Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey over the more-heralded Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech and Jeremy Maclin of Missouri.

A pair of Raiders fans who had traveled all the way from the East Bay and the front row of the Coliseum offered their opinions on the pick.

Both felt like Crabtree’s foot stress fracture — surgery for which prevented him from running at the NFL Combine — may have been a turnoff for Oakland, as well as Jeremy Maclin’s lack of an on-field record, only playing two years at Missouri.

“They went with Darrius (because) he’s fast, he was rated 25th overall in the draft and the fourth-best receiver,” one fan, Greg Curo, said. “Because of his speed, he is a little more (desirable) to them, not as raw as Maclin, and injury-free right now.”

His traveling companion, Bryan Barnes, had an even simpler explanation for the pick: “Al likes speed.”

Curo said he thinks Tom Cable wants to get the team started quickly in his first full season as a head coach, and both agreed doubts about Crabtree’s readiness for spring minicamps and summer training might have been a turnoff.

“I think we picked the best receiver we could,” Barnes said.

It won’t take much more distance than a JaMarcus Russell bomb to find out if the Raiders made the right choice: The cross-Bay rival San Francisco 49ers took Crabtree 10th overall.

Oakland opts for size/speed combo at receiver, huge area of need

NEW YORK — He has the size of Michael Crabtree. The speed of Jeremy Maclin. And none of that pesky spread-offense stat inflation.

With the seventh overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders chose Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. Add “DHB” to “Run DMC” and Silver & Black head coach Tom Cable and passing-game coordinator Ted Tollner have another big-play threat at the team’s biggest position of need.

“Has excellent size with long arms,” Pro Football Weekly writes. “Comes off the ball hard and can accelerate to top-end speed in a blink. Rare speed to stretch the field and blow past defenders with the slightest misstep. … Can flat-out fly and covers a lot of ground fast.”

Not even in the “Bed & Breakfast” offense of Art Shell II in 2006 did the Raiders’ receiving corps put up as poor a season as they did in 2008. The leading receiver among wideouts, sophomore Johnnie Lee Higgins, posted a whopping 22 catches.

That led to the exit of James Lofton, the third position coach in three years, and the promotion of Sanjay Lal from quality control to receivers coach for 2009.

It also led to the drafting of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound, 4.3-burning receiver from Maryland with the Raiders’ fifth Top 10 pick in the past six years.

“Rare speed with outstanding athletic ability,” Ourlads’ Scouting Services writes. “Vertical receiver that can stretch the field. … Has big-play ability and explosive speed to run away from defenders once he catches the ball.”

“Heyward-Bey’s angular frame and lack of upper-body strength make him a target for press coverage,” Lindy’s says, “but teams were hesitant to stick with the coverage for long because when he does slip by few defenders were capable of turning and running with him.”

On the surface, Heyward-Bey might seem like another Al Davis reach pick. The early entry was rated no better in than the third receiver in the Class of 2009 in most draft guides, and as low as the seventh wideout, much less the seventh overall pick.

But Heyward-Bey was also considered a first-round talent in some of those same guides after an NFL Combine workout that won the “Combine King” award from Ourlads’.

On top of that, Heyward-Bey has a very valuable characteristic in the modern NFL: The ability to beat the cornerback’s jam at the line of scrimmage.

“Gets moving fast at the snap of the ball, which allows him to close the cushion on the cornerback quickly,” the Sporting News sums up the consensus. “Has the size, strength, quick hands and athleticism to defeat jam.”

Certainly, two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Crabtree out of Texas Tech, and Maclin out of Missouri received more attention in the weeks leading up to the draft. But both also had questions circling them: Crabtree about his speed and attitude, and Maclin about his small stature.

Meanwhile, Pro Football Weekly praised Heyward-Bey’s “solid character” and “good work ethic,” citing strong interviews at the Combine as a big factor in his meteoric rise.

As SFGate.com’s David White points out, Heyward-Bey is both slightly taller than Crabtree and slightly faster than Maclin. If his statistics — registered in Maryland’s mediocre offense — don’t impress, that viewpoint may overlook a few factors.

Yes, Crabtree caught 231 balls in two seasons in the Red Raiders’ pass-crazy offense, and Maclin caught 182 in two seasons for the Tigers. But both played only two years in college, and in the multi-receiver spread offenses that have produced glamorous numbers and few sterling NFL receivers (Wes Welker and … any Raiders fans remember Carlos Francis?).

Meanwhile, “DHB” has an extra season of experience and, if his 138 receptions in three years barely exceeds Crabtree’s freshman mark, they are nonetheless the third-highest mark in the Terrapins’ football history. Meanwhile, his 2,089 career yards are second in Maryland history, and his 13 touchdown catches are third. All that, while facing double-coverage and dealing with poor quarterback play all three seasons in College Park.

If there are any questions about Heyward-Bey’s abilities, they are unfortunately in two crucial aspects of any receiver’s game: Route-running and, more important, hands.

“There is little doubt he has the physical tools to be a legitimate big-play threat in the NFL. However, to join the ranks of the elite,” the Sporting News says, “he must improve his route-running skills.”

Pro Football Weekly adds that he “lacks polish in his routes,” and is “not creative in space.”

Lindy’s says, “Lacks the sticky hands of some elite receivers in this class … resulting in some ugly drops.” And Ourlads’ dismisses Heyward-Bey as “not a natural hand catcher.” Pro Football Weekly mentions “small hands.”

But the Sporting News says simply, “Has natural hands.”

Several guides cite lack of focus or poor technique as leading to drops, rather than a problem with natural ability.

Certainly, that, combined with Heyward-Bey’s track history, will make him the subject of stereotypical “Raider Hater” criticism: He was a state champion and All-American in track in high school, and holds the Maryland football record with a 4.23 clocking during 2006 preseason drills.

But remember, for all the grief he got from Raiders fans, wideout James Jett started for the Silver & Black for the better part of a decade and was a big-play threat from his first game to his last.

Heyward-Bey has the potential to do even more.

“Has shown he is more than just a track athlete playing football,” Pro Football Weekly says, “and possesses big-play ability. Should step into a starting lineup readily.”

“Explosive playmaker who can change the momentum of the game on any play,” Silver & Black Illustrated’s Michael Wagaman says.

With a three-man corps of big Chaz Schilens, fleet and explosive Higgins and Heyward-Bey, who brings some of both to the table, plus sturdy safety valve Zack Miller at tight end, suddenly the Raiders’ receiving corps looks a lot better than the disaster of 2008.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, has another weapon — most importantly, for play action, if Cable can continue to establish the Raiders’ ground game behind Justin Fargas, 2008 first-rounder Darren “Run DMC” McFadden and Michael Bush.

Imagine: Russell takes the snap, and turns as if to hand to Fargas. Schilens and Miller cross the middle. Higgins slants to the post and DHB burns on a fly pattern.

You’re the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator. To quote the movie Speed: “What do you do? What do you do?!”

If opponents can’t figure out an answer in 2009, the Raiders could finally reverse their curse of six straight double-digit-loss seasons.

Oakland may still have address the offensive tackle, defensive tackle and strong safety positions, but their 2009 NFL Draft is off to a fast start, there’s no doubt about that.

Raiders’ recent Top-10 first-round picks:
2009 — Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (7th overall)
2008 — Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas (4th overall)
2007 — JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU (1st overall)
2006 — Michael Huff, DB, Texas (7th overall)
2005 — Traded to Minnesota (7th overall)
2004 — Robert Gallery, OL, Iowa (2nd overall)

Trevor Scott is the winner of the third "First-Year Star" award.

One was a rookie end who was catching passes, not sacking quarterbacks, just three years earlier. The other two were sophomores who never got off the bench in 2007.

In the end, by the closest vote in its three-year history, the “After Further Review First-Year Star” award went to defensive end Trevor Scott, the pass rusher out of Buffalo who tied for the team lead with five sacks.

As the 2009 NFL Draft gets under way, “After Further Review” is pleased to announce the winner of its third annual award honoring the Raiders’ best young player. Perhaps the next winner’s big first year in Silver & Black begins this weekend.

Scott, a sixth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, received 30 out of 93 votes cast by the members of Raiderfans.net, edging out offensive tackle Mario Henderson, who finally blossomed late in 2008; and running back Michael Bush, who recovered from a broken leg suffered in college to shine as part of a three-headed rushing attack.

Henderson, a third-round pick in 2007, received 24 votes after replacing Kwame Harris at left tackle. Bush, a fourth-round pick the same year, received 17. Raiders first-round pick Darren McFadden, another running back, finished with 10 votes.

Scott, who began his career at Buffalo as a tight end, was considered a project when he was chosen late in the draft. But thanks to injuries along the front four, he was inserted into the lineup early as a nickel pass rusher. He racked up two sacks in then-interim head coach Tom Cable’s first win, over the New York Jets, and got two more against the New England Patriots late in the year.

He got Raiderfans.net owner Bob “BK” Carr’s vote: “I had to go with Trevor Scott. He led the league in sacks (for rookies) and didn’t get much playing time. He was also a stout special-teamer.”

That was the theme for Scott’s supporters, as he finished the season with 24 tackles in 16 games, registering tackles in 12 of them, including six against the Jets and five against the Patriots.

“He did a lot of damage when he played, and was solid on special teams,” member “FloridaRaydah” said.

“Dude came out of nowhere and did much more than any of us expected,” member “OaklandHeat” agreed.

Henderson got into only one game as a rookie after the Raiders traded up in the third round to choose him, and failed to beat out veteran Cornell Green for the starting right tackle job in training camp. But when big-money free agent Harris imploded, it was Henderson who started the final three games of the season, including Oakland’s big back-to-back wins to end the year.

“Had to go with Mario Henderson,” said one supporter, member “RaiderArt.” “He stabilized the left side, pretty much eliminated the drive-killing penalties and sacks, which allowed the passing game to thrive. … Wish he would’ve got into the lineup sooner, but better late than never, I suppose.”

Bush finished third on the team in rushing with 421 yards, but also finished the season with a bang, racking up 177 yards and two touchdowns to help the Raiders knock the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of the playoffs in the season’s final game.

“I went with Mike for a couple of reasons,” said member “LouisvilleR8R.” “Bush and (McFadden) were great against K.C., but Bush’s performance against the Bucs put him over the top for me.”

He did, however, admit a bit of hometown bias: “Got to go with the kid from Louisville!”

Linebacker Thomas Howard was the first winner of the “First-Year Star” award, with 80 out of 115 votes (69.6 percent); and tight end Zach Miller was the second, with 71 of 75 votes cast (94.7 percent). Both dominated elections in years when the Raiders did not have as many young players making an impact as they did in 2008.

Raiders.com is reporting the Raiders have re-signed All-Pro punter Shane Lechler to a four-year contract, dubbed “the greatest ever awarded to a punter in the history of the National Football League.”

That’s only fair, as Lechler’s career average of 46.8 yards a punt makes him the greatest punter in the history of the NFL, even exceeding those of should-be-Hall-of-Famer Ray Guy.

Lechler, a fifth-round draft pick in 2000, was feared to be headed out of Oakland after some comments suggested frustration with the team’s recent struggles.

However, Al Davis seemed likely to break the bank to keep one of his best draft picks ever, and apparently did just that.

Lechler, a four-time Pro Bowler, led the AFC in gross punting average last season, and led the entire NFL in the more important net average. He and kicker Sebastian Janikowski, chosen in the first round the same year, are among the mainstays of the special-teams units that thrived in 2008, and the longest-serving Raiders on the roster.