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...
Fans offer first impressions of DHB
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...
First round: Raiders add DHB to Run DMC
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...
After Further Review: The third annual “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...
Raiders re-sign Lechler
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...