Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

The FanSided Sports family is deep. As proof of that I offer you the fact that there are two sites dedicated to strictly covering the NFL Draft year round.

NFL Mocks and With The First Pick are two of the best NFL draft websites you’ll find and both have been very busy lately. Recently we did a quick sit down with NFL Mocks to talk about the upcoming draft from a Raider perspective. Yesterday With The First Pick jumped right in and did a full seven round mock of the Raiders draft. You can see their full draft prognostication here.

Naturally the Raiders don’t have a full seven rounds worth of draft picks. Reggie McKenzie doesn’t even have a 7^th round pick let alone a first round selection this year so Oakland’s draft dilemma is a tough one. But much like we hope McKenzie will do Sayre Bedinger of With The First Pick does a nice job of finding talent for the Raiders in most every round.

Bedinger’s got the Raiders getting their 3-4 nose tackle in the 4^th round by finding great value in selecting Alabama’s Josh Chapman. Dennis Allen hasn’t stated it yet but the feeling is that there will be some usage of the 3-4 with a possible switch to running the scheme exclusively.

There are also some other picks that are an intriguing prospect for McKenzie and company like Oklahoma tight end James Hanna becoming a Raider in the fifth round, a pick Bedinger refers to as “almost too typical” for Oakland.

So take a moment to cruise on over to With The First Pick to share your opinion of the 7^th round mock of the Raiders. And be sure to keep coming back as FanSided will have you covered for all you need leading up to the draft.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

So much for all the speculation that Dennis Allen would be making the switch to 3-4 scheme in Oakland. There could be instances in which the Raiders will “mix it up” but for the most part it’s looking like the good ol’ 4-3 is here to stay. At least that’s what Tommy Kelly says after his first week with yet another new coaching staff.

“We’re going to do what we always do; run four man. I’m just assuming. Heard he’s a guy that mixes it up, so you never know.”

Perhaps it is way too early in the process to proclaim the Raiders unchanged from a defensive stand point. Even if they are running the trusty 4-3 it doesn’t mean the same philosophies will be in place. With Al Davis no longer the de facto defensive coordinator you’d have to believe some things will just inherently be different what with different coaches in place.

As of yet the coaches have yet to officially workout the players due to the language of the CBA. So it stands to reason that whatever schemes Kelly went over are only the early phases of the supposedly new scheme. Time will tell.

For all we know Allen and his defensive coordinator Jason Tarver are planning to roll out the 3-4 once they have the proper personnel in place. The Raiders did pay a visit to Alabama draft prospect Josh Chapman who just so happens to be a pure nose tackle, the type that thrives in the 3-4. So let’s not be so quick to judge a book by its cover. Things will be different. They’re going to have to be otherwise we’re looking at another .500 season at best.

Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

Everyday it seems like we learn a little more about Reggie McKenzie and his vision of the Oakland Raiders. Through the various roster moves and personnel decisions made it is becoming clear just what McKenzie wants to see on the field.

What remains to be seen is what Dennis Allen will be doing with the talent McKenzie is acquiring. One of the biggest questions swirling around Raider Nation relates to the defense as it what type of scheme will Allen be running. Many have speculated that a switch to the 3-4 is in order while others imagine some hybrid type of scheme will be employed.

Whatever the case, we’ll have to wait until camp begins to get an answer on that. What we do know is that the Raiders scheduled a visit with Alabama nose tackle Josh Chapman. What exactly does that mean? Well, it could indicate a 3-4 will be implemented or it could just be a formality. NFL Mocks placed a late first to mid second round value on Chapman. Worst case scenario is that he’ll be a third rounder where the Raiders now own a compensatory pick. So just in case Oakland can get their hands on Chapman here is a quick analysis of the Alabama prospect.

Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 316lbs

Strengths: Yet another NFL ready defender cranked out of the University of Alabama. Has the size and experience to fit in from day one in a 3-4 scheme. Great strength allows him to shed blocks and can take on double teams allowing linebackers to run free behind him. A disciplined player who understands and executes his role to perfection. Chapman is an expert at clogging running lanes and is a very good tackler. Will be a real asset in defending against the run.

Weaknesses: Recovering from knee surgery after playing most of 2011 with a torn ACL. Doesn’t make many plays on the ball and poor stats reflect that. An average athlete when compared to other NFL lineman. Not much of a pass rusher. There are some conditioning concerns and was a one year starter. Will only be effective if paired with productive players on the edge.