One day after the draft, I have a strong feeling we may have made the right calls.
First, we drafted McFadden with our #4 pick. Running back wasn't a position of need, no doubt about that.
Was it still the right pick? Absolutely!
We have a QB who still needs to develop his game in Oakland. How to speedup this progress? Give him weapons on his side of the ball. Darren McFadden will be this weapon. He will be the player that makes JaMarcus Russell better.
There're still...

JayCee

Darren McFadden RB Arkansas

There's our new weapon folks.

Honestly, as exciting as i know he will be, i wasn't ecstatic with the pick. I don't know why. I had the same feeling when we picked Michael Huff #7 overall. I know we are getting a rare talent, but my gut says we could've went another route.

Guess that's why i don't run the organization.

Regardless of my initial feelings, I am proud to have a potential home run hitting, blue...

Gridiron PIRATE

Here we are. On the eve of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Who do the Oakland Raiders select with the 4th overall pick?

The team has a young QB taking over this season and protecting him has to be of utmost importance. Though the offensive line was much improved from the previous season, OL is still a big question mark coming into this year. Can they do it again? Not just that, but can they get better?

The departure of Barry Sims called for an answer at LT. ...

Gridiron PIRATE

Another year, another beginning for the Oakland Raiders and of course for us their always loyalty fans.

It always happens this time of the year, every year since I remember; the drama, the expectations, the excitment... the uncertainity, yes, this year is the uncertainity of who is going to be selected with the 4th overall pick... is he going to be a defensive player? who knows... just Al Davis may know for sure, but until the moment arrive it will only be speculation... but is this...

raider24dh

With only two days left before the draft, the Raiders are literally 20 minutes from being on the clock. After last year's fiasco of having over two months to select, negotiate, and sign a deal with their guy, the Raiders instead did the same thing in 6 months and ensured themselves that JaMarcus Russell would hold a clip board all year, doing so at a $625,000 a game. Not a bad job if you can get it.

This year, the Raiders do not have the luxury of that first pick and the time to do the job right. They select after two picks, and then they have until July to get ink on paper, or the Raider Nation will storm the fortress in utter and complete anger.

It really does not matter who they sign. That player will get around 20 mil in guarenteed money and will be expected to immediately help the Silver and Black return to glory. Whether it is McFadden, Chris Long, Glen Dorsey, or any other suprise pick, this player will be expected to hit the field running and make an impact. After all, he will have no choice. With no other first day selection currently, the Raiders are banking on an off season of wild spending and trades to become competitive again. They have blown the kids college funds, emptied out the 401Ks, maxed out the credit cards, sold off the antique china and silver...and have put it all on the line with a group of guys expected to do what no one has done in over half a decade now. They are expeected to win. After less than half an hour into the draft, the latest member of the Raider Nation will join this misfit bunch and put his body on the line to revitalize a team that is on life support.

Conventional wisdom says that with a limited number of players to be signed, the Raiders will get the job done, and do it quickly. But that is not the Raider way. The Raiders have traditionally signed most all of their picks mere days before camp, thus having a real view of the market value of their guys. Two years ago, Michael Huff ran out onto the field a little late on the first day due to last minute changes to his contract. So, when the name of the newest Raider is called, expect a long time between the words and the acts.

After all, it is the Raider way....

Attyla

The 2008 NFL draft is less than 3 days away and I cannot wait. Oakland is on the board at #4. Pretty good, if you ask me. Not the paying the top dollar, while at the same time having the luxury to choose (hopefully) one of the top 6 prospects (Darren McFadden, Glenn Dorsey, Sedrick Ellis, Vernon Gholston and Chris Long).

Last year the Raiders drafted a much needed quarterback in JaMarcus Russell. The former future franchise QB Andrew Walter, the top rated passer in Oakland's draft...

DARK ANGEL

Dear Friends,

let me get this straight. Positivity doesn't mean "jump around smiling even if there's no reason to". It's more like "get excited about the season and support the Oakland Raiders".
If we don't have a good season, we will move on and try again.

Let me go back a couple of months. My local basketball team. Half way through the season, on a good way to a relegation battle . We lost game after game after game. The fans got bitter...

JayCee