Now that the College Season is done...

[psycho5150]

I'd like to say lets evaluate the players we are going to think about drafting based on their on field performance. I don't want to choose a guy based on what he did in tights and a tshirt. The combine always shots a player up the draft boards that has no reason being drafted.While actual football players slide down, the good scouts and GMs know how to separate the difference ours well we will wait and see!

[21David52]

The only time I care about college football is when Raiders season is over and the NFL draft is around the corner.

[Raiders Baby!]

True football players with good instincts we should look at with our top pick (and yes, some of these are if we trade back):
Chance Warmack
Luke Joeckel
Star Lotuleili
Bjoern Werner
Dee Milliner
Taylor Lewan
Barrett Jones
John Jenkins


Players I am not sold on (could be good, but I've seen a lot of mistakes and holes in their game):
Manti Te'o
Barkevious Mingo
Jesse Williams
Louis Nix
Geno Smith

[psycho5150]

I think this draft class is deep and thus trading down is the most logical idea!

[Raidersman321]

True football players with good instincts we should look at with our top pick (and yes, some of these are if we trade back):
Chance Warmack
Luke Joeckel
Star Lotuleili
Bjoern Werner
Dee Milliner
Taylor Lewan
Barrett Jones
John Jenkins


Players I am not sold on (could be good, but I've seen a lot of mistakes and holes in their game):
Manti Te'o
Barkevious Mingo
Jesse Williams
Louis Nix
Geno Smith

Only problem I have with Mingo is that he doesn't have enough weight..I think if he bulked up and got better when dropping back in coverage, he would be solid.

[80sr8dr]

Only problem I have with Mingo is that he doesn't have enough weight..I think if he bulked up and got better when dropping back in coverage, he would be solid.

He's not exactly overflowing with pass rush moves either.

[Raidersman321]

I agree, that swim move can only take you so far....I wouldn't be happy if we took him in the first, too many questions about him.

[Heart of Oak]

If we stay at #3 I only see there being a very short list of candidates that I would (currently) consider that high - with one eye on our needs and the other on getting a difference maker:

1. Star Lotulelei - If Star is that dominant NT that he is being hyped to be, then it is a no-brainer. A dominant NT can change a defense by collapsing the pocket and flushing the QB out, stuffing the run, taking on two blockers (thus freeing up the other lineman for rush purposes) etc - this is something this team has not had in a very long time, with guys like Sands, Warren, Sapp, Kelly - Seymour is the closest we have come, but he can't seem to stay on the field it would seem. There are a couple of little things I don't like about his play; particularly that he occasionally pulls a Gerard Warren and totally ignores the ball-carrying RB that is running right past him, because he has tunnelled his vision on the QB - but no-one is perfect.

2. Damontre Moore - The best pash rushing DE in the draft, and definitely my favourite player high in the draft. Has a relentless motor which is something you can't teach, penetrates the backfield, reasonable run defender (but that will get better when he adds weight). However, that is the one knock I have on him (as with many young DEs coming out of college) is that he is listed at about 250 lbs - if he was doing everything he is currently doing at NFL every-down DE weight (about 260-270 lbs) he would likely be my #1 choice over Star - as there is an inherent risk that the extra weight reuces his speed / motor / explosion that were the reasons you drafted him in the first place. The choice between Star and Damontre is partly to do with how we can we fill the other role from Free Agency - would Star be better alongside say Michael Johnson or would Moore alongside Terrance Knighton be a better combo?

3. Luke Joeckel - Firstly can I say I have nothing against Jared Veldheer who is not only one of my favourite Raiders, but is also the best LT we have had since..........well, a very long time. However, a franchise Left Tackle (if that is what Joeckel is - he has drawn comparisons in some quarters to Joe Thomas) is not something that can be ignored this high in the draft. Veldheer is a very good Left Tackle, but if we could bring in a franchise LT, I think JV could be one of the best RTs in the league.

That is it really, I can't justify us taking any of the other 'top' options:

Milliner - top CB in draft, but he is no Revis / Peterson
J Jones - Spinal Stenosis
Te'o - Love the way the guy plays and he will be a very good MLB, but there is also quite a bit of hype in there
Werner - Lacks hustle at times and a lot of his sacks have been against weaker teams this year
Richardson - I had to think very hard about whether to list this guy above, but I think we need a NT (feel he is more of an UT)
Smith - Don't need another developmental QB

The other option is trade down, but if we are going to miss on one of these three game-changers, we better be getting a lot for our draft stock.

[Heart of Oak]

If Te'o is on the hype train, Mingo is the driver!