Replies

The Raiders may ave gotten some talent with those three picks, but the consensus seems to be they could have done a lot better. The draft is always a crapshoot: can’t-miss prospects who miss, guys who never reach their potential due to injury, guys who have off-the-field problems that derail them. You never know till a couple years down the road how you have done.

The draft is always a crapshoot: can’t-miss prospects who miss, guys who never reach their potential due to injury, guys who have off-the-field problems that derail them. You never know till a couple years down the road how you have done.

Truth.

By the way, I don't think the running back was a great pick AT THAT POINT and I don't think the lineman was a great pick AT THAT POINT. Safety is generally not considered a premium position (look at the hall of fame and see how many safeties are in there compared to corners). But one of the secrets of the recent success of my Philadelphia Eagles is that they have determined that the value-to-cost ratio for a premier safety is extremely favorable compared the value-to-cost ration for a premier corner. So the Eagles will go and get a guy like Malcolm Jenkins and pay him peanuts compared to most big name corners and then he anchors that entire secondary. Bottom line, safeties are really important and the best ones are still cheap compared to other positions. So I think the Raiders getting a top safety is a great move.

Special Bonus Comment: for what it's worth the Raiders new GM, Mike Mayock, is a guy who lived in Philly and did Eagles pre-season commentary as a side gig to his "draft guru" stuff. My conspiracy theory: He used his mock "Eagles draft board" for this. Rationale: he was hired recently so he hasn't been thinking Raiders until now. All the picks are guys you can argue were prospects Philly could have been linked to. They needed a defensive lineman because of trades and free agency departures but wouldn't be picking until 25. The raiders used a top 10 pick to get a defensive lineman expected to go around there. The eagles need a RB, Josh Jacobs was the best in the draft (they say) and so many thought he was a Philly target at 25. Raiders took him around there. Eagles also can use another safety because of injuries and free agency departures, some thought they'd go there int he first and linked them to the guy the Raiders took. Bottom line: Mayock took guys who had been talked about extensively in his home town for the past couple months. Coincidence?