Official Game Day Thread: Raiders vs Chargers - 12/30

Funny if draft position is so highly important, then why are the Patriots, the Steelers, the Ravens, the Bears, and the Packers always drafting towards the end of the draft order and yet they always seem to find the good players?

Eh, let the draftniks gripe. We've beaten the turds 3 straight times.

Cause they don't have AJ Smith pulling the trigger for them. And hopefully neither will we

Draft position is over rated to an extent and I'll take a win any time over a loss for a pick.

The only certain thing about having frequent good draft position, is that your team sucks.

I'll glad Al Davis is around to read that.

They reamed the Raiders' drafts on the broadcast......... The pick after Robert Gallery was Larry Fitzgerald. Pick after JaMarcus Russell was Calvin Johnson. Just two examples of Al's genius.

it might just be those same people that believe we can build the Oline through free agency!

Obviously, a high draft position is an advantage. That's why teams who trade up give away picks to do so. However, quality NFL organizations often (not always) manage to do well in the draft in spite of not having that advantage.

Interesting. It is actually better than I expected going into the day. Now let's hope our next GM doesn't screw up this gift of a draft spot

I'd hardly call it a gift, we're not exactly in prime position to replace Jared Gaither anymore, we're counting on teams like Arizona, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Tennessee to decide they have bigger needs than finding their left tackle of the future. And a team like Miami who is about to let its franchise LT walk away, to not trade from 12 to 10 and steal our guy knowing we have no choice

In fact its a pretty painful position to be in, as its unlikely the only top 10 worthy CB Dee Milliner will be sitting there still at 11. Our draft is in the hands of the 10 teams before us now, and a couple that sit just behind us.

Hey...The good news is we Beat the Raturds. The better news is the season is over! It is simple...screw draft picks...be happy that this embarrassing season is over and we should be clearing the way to bring in management that is competent...or at least a new management team. Maybe we will have new issues to discuss soon!

And if a team only needs one player to fill a need, then do it. However one player is not going to fix our numerous problems!

Except that a top 5 pick in each round means that you can possibly get 2-3 quality immediate starters in a single draft, as opposed to only being able to reasonably expect 1-2.

We haven't even gotten that lately, at least not 'immediately'

Reyes came on pretty quickly. I think that the Jets might've gotten the better pass-rusher between Coples and Ingram, but it's way too early in their careers to tell. I just hope that Ingram comes on better in his second year, we really need top performances from him.

Liuget looked like in his first year, and look hard far he's come along.

There's still hope for Melvin.......... English?..... not so much.

Reyes has been descent for a rookie, but to me, he hasn't been an impact player. I do think he and Ingram will be good next year, and Liuget has been pretty good, but he was also not an immediate impact player his rookie year.

We really need to hit on this draft, like in 04, and get a player or 2 to be immediate starters along the O-line

as long as we pick up two starters on both sides of the line, then some DBs, That coupled with a few free agents that want to be here after AJ and Norv leave us. I would tend to think we should be in a much better position to beat Denver next year.

Reyes wasn't a starter this year, until the end, when Martin got hurt. Liuget started all of last season and only recorded 14 tackles and 1 sack....... largely a non-factor. Reyes has 16 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 1 PDef...... a more impressive start to his career. I don't have the snap totals, but Liuget had a lot more opportunities than Reyes in his rookie year.

Thats all fine, Reyes also had a full training camp, Liuget didn't. To me, I want a player to start and do well or play significant time and do well, in order to call them an immediate impact. I don't believe Reyes fit that bill

Well, then neither does Ingram, but guess who has more sacks?

Thats fine, I wouldn't consider Ingram an immediate impact player either. I do think he and Reyes will be great players, but just not immediate impact players. And going into next year, unless we get a bunch of FA's, we are going to need immediate impact players on the line in order improve next year

Would Merriman have been immediate impact without a little help?

It usually takes players at least a year to adjust to the NFL. That doesn't mean they won't make some plays as a rookie, but to expect a bunch of game changers in one draft is unrealistic.

Since he passed 21 drug tests prior to his failure, i don't think it is reasonable to assume he was on roids his rookie year.

I am not saying it doesn't take time for most players, I am saying we need at least 1 immediate impact player in this years draft.

Do we know he wasn't using in college?........ no, we don't. But that's neither here, nor there.

That fact was, Merriman was blessed by coming to a team with a dominant NT that demanded a double team on every play. Jamal Williams was that good. Think how much easier Ingram would've had it with a guy like that in the middle.