Sep 18, 2011; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Denarius Moore (17) celebrates a touchdown reception during the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Raiders have done a very good job in picking gem receivers. Jacoby Ford, Denarius Moore, and Rod Streater were unheard of before the Raiders implemented them into their offense.

However, none of these receiver have really proven themselves as consistent game changers. Raider Nation has seen glimpses of greatness from all three, but are they considered elite?

I believe Ford and Moore have great potential of one day becoming part of an elite receiving unit. But in order for this to happen the team cannot rely on young unproven talent such as Juron Criner and Rod Streater. The latter of the two played a big role in Oakland’s 2012 offense, but that doesn’t make him a great or even good receiver.

What the Oakland Raiders need is veteran talent. Somebody who has proven themselves to be of great use. Free agents like Brandon Lloyd and Joshua Cribbs remain unsigned. If McKenzie could find enough cap space for even Mike Sims-Walker or Austin Collie it most likely would yield better results than relying on undrafted free agents to fill in the thin depth at receiver. Not saying Streater wont get his catches, but I don’t see him as someone worth relying on (of course I still hope Streater proves me wrong).

Personally I think the speed of Joshua Cribbs would match up well with the burning speed of Jacoby Ford. These two would open up Denarius Moore like a book.

When I look at great receiving corps two squads come to mind. First, the 2012 Atlanta Falcons. Using Roddy White and Julio Jones to draw off defenders, Harry Douglas, found himself wide open. The three player tandem worked so well the Falcons often found themselves able to drive down into field goal position with less than a minute on the clock. This offense won games for this team.

The second team I look at is the Green Bay Packers. The use of Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, and Jordy Nelson won them a Super Bowl. And they helped Matt Flynn set a Packer record against the Detroit Lions.

Of course both of these teams have excellent quarterbacks in Matty Ice and A-Rod. But it surely benefits these throwers to have such great communication between receivers, giving them the ability to open each other up.

Can Rod Streater become a Harry Douglas or would Oakland be better off with a Josh Cribbs? Surely it would help with depth in injury situations. After all Oakland finds themselves in that predicament quite often. If you disagree with me feel free to inform me on your idea of what Oakland should do with their pass catchers. The comment box is right below.

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NFL Draft Scout rated Rod Streater the 122^nd wide receiver in the 2012 Draft. Proving the experts correct during the days of the draft  Streater never heard his name called after finishing a highly unproductive career at Temple University a football program on the rise that has produced some top notch talent at running back but not much else in recent years. But never mind draft status. All that means is how much money you’re owed. Streater’s rookie year was all about proving the experts completely wrong when it came to evaluating his game.

It’s no small feat that ESPN’s AFC West blogger Bill Williamson named Streater the division’s rookie of the year for the 2012 season.

Truly defining the term diamond in the rough Streater’s route to the NFL is the stuff of Hollywood screenplays. I mused on the difficulty of making an NFL roster when Streater was invited to Oakland’s rookie mini-camp back in May of last year. Little did I know Streater would be just that unique talent that would catch the eye of the coaching staff, become a starter for the season opener and by season’s end become a fixture in Oakland indeed the NFL for years to come.

Reggie McKenzie’s staff certainly did their homework and the coaches did an exceptional job in developing their young prodigy. However the bulk of the credit has to go to Streater who dared to dream, work and stay dedicated to his craft despite being pitted with the longest odds possible of making an NFL roster.

So with the 2013 Draft fast approaching there will be plenty of talk about the big names many of which are likely to have no impact their first year. Even more draftees will be gone from the league in less than two years. Guys like Streater are what makes the game so special and reminds us all that no matter the odds if you stay hungry and humble you dreams can indeed come true.

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Reggie McKenzie arrived in Oakland with the reputation of having an eye for talent. Given the horrendous results of the season the real question is whether or not he can evaluate coaches. But that’s another story.

More to the point, one man has helped confirm McKenzie’s ability to unearth hidden gems. Ironically that man wasn’t even a member of McKenzie’s minimalist first draft class in Oakland.

Rod Streater arrived in the East Bay with little to no hope of making an NFL roster after an underwhelming career at Temple University. The speedy receiver had the traits of an NFL receiver with size and good hands but plenty of players have the skills and not the game. None the less the undrafted free agent made the cut and has since made his way into Oakland’s future plans.

In case you have checked out on the Raiders’ season in recent weeks then you’ve missed Streater’s game blossoming right before our eyes.

After never amassing more than 86 receiving yards in a single game during his collegiate career Streater has gone off for a combined 196 yards in the last two games as he gradually earns more snaps. Of course getting those extra reps on the field shouldn’t come as much of a shock considering Streater was a starter to begin the season.

Injuries forced Streater into action much earlier than the coaching staff would have liked. Early on it was a struggle for the rookie who did catch a TD in his fist NFL game but  also lost a fumble and was largely a possession receiver catching passes on underneath routes.

Eventually Streater’s role was diminished once Denarius Moore was healthy but you knew it was only a matter of time until he got another shot.

The opportunities have presented themselves for Streater and he’s taken advantage finally showing his ability to be a big play receiver with a 64-yard TD against Cleveland and his first career 100-yard game against Denver.

Now aside from Miles Burris, McKenzie’s first draft class has yet to make much of an impact. Fellow rookie receiver Juron Criner has had his moments but his production is nowhere near the 429 yards and 3 TDs Streater has amassed.

So if you’re looking for something to keep hope alive it should be McKenzie’s ability to find talent in the most unorthodox places. If McKenzie was able to maximize his resources with the next-to-nothing draft picks he was handed his first year there is reason to be optimistic that he can do even better for the Raiders with a full compliment of picks and scouts on the lookout for more off-the-radar gems.