Reggie McKenzie is Building the Oakland Raiders
December 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen high-fives offensive tackle Menelik Watson (71) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The 2013 Draft
Even though McKenzie only had draft picks from Round 3 down, I have to say that 2012 was a bad rookie year for him in the draft. Only three of the six players from the 2012 draft class are still with the team. The local media wants to put 2013 down as a bad year too but that was a masterful job by McKenzie.
D.J. Hayden was the player he wanted and outside of his near-death experience, he was the best player in the draft. Those of you that don’t believe me need to go back and look at some college tape of Hayden. And for those of you that think McKenzie shouldn’t have drafted him because of injuries, he made a full recovery from his heart surgery.
When Hayden gets back he’s going to ball plus McKenzie turned it into a 2nd-round pick the Raiders didn’t have. That pick is now Menelik Watson, the starting right tackle that almost won the left tackle job last year after Veldheer got hurt. He’s on the right side now but this athletically gifted big-man is the left tackle of the future as Donald Penn has a couple of more good years left.
It’s funny to hear people say that McKenzie shouldn’t have drafted Hayden based on his accident. No one drafted before him went in last year and attained superstar status either. Hayden and Watson would have started and done well if not for injuries that can’t be predicted. And over the long haul, you won’t see a player from the 2013 draft class that’s worth Hayden and Watson together.
If not for injuries, Watson and Hayden would have went along with outside linebacker and 3rd-round pick Sio Moore to maker three immediate starters. Quarterback Tyler Wilson from the fourth round was bad but running back Latavious Murry, tight end Mychal Rivera and defensive tackle Stacey McGee in the sixth weren’t. Then there’s Brice Butler, that’s playing like a starter now, that went in the seventh.
Both Wilson and defensive end David Bass have been cut but the rest are contributors with three starters now.