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April 27, 2007
With First Choice in 2007 NFL Draft, the Raiders Select . . .
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.
History -- Al Davis's history -- says "NO WAY" to taking a quarterback with the top pick, either LSU's Russell or Notre Dame's Quinn.
The Raiders' greatest run of success started in the mid-60s, after Davis obtained Daryle Lamonica in a trade from Buffalo. Lamonica took the Raiders to SB-II and four straight AFL/AFC title games.
After Lamonica, Ken Stabler took over in '73. Stabler was a 2nd round pick in the '68 draft. He led the Raiders to five straight AFC title games, finally winning it in '76 and leading the Raiders to their first SB win over the Vikings.
After Stabler came Dan Pastorini in 1980, acquired before the season in straight-up trade for Stabler. Pastorini got hurt and . . . .
Jim Plunkett took over. Davis picked up Plunkett off waivers from the 49ers a year earlier Plunkett won SB XV over the Philadelphia Eagles and SB XVIII over the Washington Redskins.
A long dry spell followed.
Plunkett was succeeded by the first QB Al Davis ever took in the first round of the NFL Draft, Mark Wilson from BYU (1980 draft). Wilson struggled.
So Davis replaced Wilson with Jay Schroeder, a former baseball star at UCLA whom Davis acquired early in the '88 season in a trade with the Redskins. Davis gave up offensive left tackle Jim Lachey, who became maybe the best lineman of the early '90s.
Schroeder was replaced briefly by Steve Beurlein, a 4th-round pick in 1987. Eventually, Schroeder gave way to free agent Jeff Hostetler, who gave way to Jeff George, who came from the Falcons.
Rich Gannon took over from George (and Donald Hollas), when he joined Oakland as a free agent. A couple years later, the Raiders again reached the SB in the '02 season.
The only QBs the Raiders have drafted in the 1st round since the AFL/NFL common draft are Mark Wilson in '80 and Todd Marinovich in '91. Marinovich was a terrible reach, not particularly good, and an unfortunate head case thanks to his dad . . . but he's reputed to be a hell of a surfer.
By the way, the first QB the Raiders chose in the first round was Roman Gabriel in 1962, with the first overall choice of the old AFL's draft -- but that was before Davis was running the team. Gabriel joined the Rams instead.
One other note. There have been 14 QBs selected first overall since 1967. Of those, five have started and won a total of 12 SBs. Of those 12 victories, though, 7 belong the Terry Bradshaw (4) and Troy Aikman (3). Jim Plunkett and and John Elway each won a pair, but only after changing teams -- and Elway had to wait 15 years and for the arrival of RB Terrell Davis to win his. Peyton Manning owns the other SB title, winning it this past year.
The point. The Raiders have never had success on the field with a QB they drafted in the 1st round. Really, only two teams have. Al Davis knows that. He knows it takes a few years to develop a QB. And he knows he doesn't have much time left. Davis will turn 78 on July 4th.
Plus, Al Davis likes to go against conventional wisdom. He took punter Ray Guy and kicker Sebby Janikowski with first-round picks.
So, given Davis's against-the-grain reputation, his history of winning with experienced QBs, and the fact of his age, the man Davis takes is . . . Calvin Johnson, the WR from Georgia Tech.
That is, if Davis doesn't trade the pick.
Posted by shertaugh at April 27, 2007 11:00 AM
Comments
If he's not going to take the player most teams would take, why not trade down a bit, take whom he wants to take anyway, and get a bit of something else in return?
Posted by: Matt at April 27, 2007 12:27 PM
Eric? ERIC! Wake up! Shertaugh's blogging about football on your site!
:-0
ELM: I know. These are the risks one takes when one invites people to guest-blog. ;-)
In truth, I encouraged him to blog about sports.
Posted by: John A at April 27, 2007 3:16 PM