The ‘09 draft is in the bag and as expected Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are still taking any moment of camera time they can get to lampoon the moves the Oakland Raiders made over the weekend.
While I was not happy with the Darrius Heyward-Bey selection, it had nothing to do with Michael Crabtree at all. In fact, I couldn’t have been happier that the Raiders passed on the Texas Teach receiver. My disappointment stemmed from the fact that B.J. Raji was available and Al Davis passed on him. Just how is that run defense going to improve?
Whatever your opinion [...]

Tom Cable wanted an Escalade. Al Davis bought him a CTS.
After looking over the prospects in the ‘09 draft, Tom Cable referred to the top four left tackles as “Cadillacs”.
Most assumed Jason Smith, Eugene Monroe, Andre Smith and Michael Oher were the Big Bodied vehicles coach Cable sought.
As it turns out, Al Davis had his eyes on a Cadillac as well, a sports car.
With Monroe and Oher on the board, not to mention another model of Cadillac named B.J. Raji available, and every single receiver in the 2009 draft up for grabs as well, the Oakland Raiders proclaimed Maryland wide receiver [...]

After months of hype and speculation, the 2009 NFL Draft is finally  here. I’ll be keeping a running diary as the drama unfolds. Keep it locked here, Raider Nation! We’ve got the best seat in the house to observe Tom Cable’s first taste of the war room.
5:49pm PST – Thanks to everyone who took the time to comment on the JBB Draft Diary today! I’ll write up a review of the first day and will post in later. Since I’m a holdover from the days of Raider football in Los Angeles, I’m checking out to watch my Lakers take on the Jazz [...]

The FanSided.com Sports Network proudly presents our first ever network-wide live NFL Draft chat. That’s right; NFL bloggers from all 32 team sites will be checking in to discuss the 2009 NFL Draft and all the news and rumors that go along with it. If you want knowledgeable, real-time commentary on the entire draft, then this chat is for you. Thanks for joining us, and keep the comments and questions coming (but clean and respectful, please).
FanSided.Com Live NFL Draft Chat
NFL Mocks is the Home for the first FanSided.Com Live NFL Draft Chat

Forget the first round! Round two is where all the magic happens.
Here’s my take on how round two will shape up. I’ve got Josh Freeman finally finding a home in St. Louis, Percy Harvin going to Cleveland and the Pats getting value at every pick.
Mel Kiper ain’t got nothin’ on me!
 

Team
Pick

33

Detroit Lions

Ron Brace, DT, Boston College – 6′3″, 334

34

New Englad Patriots

Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois – 6′2″, 255

35

St. Louis Rams
Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – 6′5″, 246

36

Cleveland Browns
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – 5′11″, 192

37

Seattle Seahawks
LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburg – 5′10″, 198

38

Cincinnati Bengals
Eric Wood, C, Louisville – 6′3″, 310

39

Jacksonville Jaguars
Alphonso Smith, [...]

 I’m not a draft expert, I just play one on the internet.
In my version of the ‘09 draft, Josh Freeman waits longer than Brady Quinn, Jeremy Maclin takes a tumble and Aaron Curry goes to Cleveland.  Oh yeah, Detroit drafts some QB from Georgia too.
If you can’t get enough mocking between now and Saturday, check out Walter Football, HailRedskins.com and DC Sports Report. You’re sure to get your fix with all three of these great draft databases.
 

Team
Pick

1

Detroit Lions
(0-16)
Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia – 6′2″, 225

2

St. Louis Rams
(2-14)
Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – 6′5″, 309

3

Kansas City Chiefs
(2-14)
Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia – 6′5″, 309

4

Seattle Seahawks
(4-12)
Mark Sanchez, [...]

In order to properly evaluate a draft class, one must wait at least three years. When evaluating a franchise, it takes an even broader scope. Therefore, I’d like to review the past decade of Raider drafts before we see Tom Cable off on his first trip to the war room.
When looking back at the last ten years of drafting, you will see a few patterns emerge.
The most glaring and obvious pattern relates to the number of defensive backs drafted. Since 1998, Al Davis has heard the commissioner call the names of six different defensive backs in round one alone.
Charles Woodson (1998, [...]

Nnamdi Asomugha made the rounds on the Disney Sports Network today lending his voice and face to various programs on the mega sports conglomerate. Perhaps an audition for a second career once his playing days are over, Nnamdi offered analysis on the top defensive backs in the draft, talked about the proper technique for a cover corner in the NFL and said the Raiders should select a wide receiver in round one.
On NFL Live, Asomugha was asked for his thoughts on JaMarcus Russell and the ensuing NFL draft. Nnamdi went on to say that he felt the Raiders owe it [...]

No matter what any of the paid professional evaluators say, there is no such thing as a “can’t miss prospect“. Adjusting to the NFL is not as simple as just showing up and playing. Many cannot cope with the heightened expectations and constant scrutiny. Others were perhaps shielded by a clever college scheme that will never translate to the next level. And, of course, there are those who were just never meant to collect an NFL check.
Drafting in the top 10 is a dangerous dilemma for NFL franchises. The very nature of the sport itself makes it difficult to evaluate [...]

With just over a week  remaining until the NFL draft is underway, the picture is as clear as a foggy morning in the East Bay. If the rumors of the Detroit Lions opening contract talks with Matthew Stafford have any legs to them, then they’d better go from a motivated walk to a full on sprint sooner than later. For the sake of our sanity – and to save my man Daniel Evans over at NFLMocks.com from having to anticipate another 100,000 different scenarios – Detroit needs to get the 2009 draft party started and put the Rams on the clock.
Depending on your [...]