Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 8, 2014
Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen spoke with the media following the selection of linebacker Khalil Mack out of the University of Buffalo. You can read the transcript below: McKenzie Opening Statement: “Good evening, guys. We are very excited with our first pick. It was a guy that we had targeted for quite some time, and it was a guy that we are very excited to have.” Q: Reggie, how much did the picks above you play out like you thought they would? Was there some surprise that Mack fell to you? McKenzie: “Any time when you are anxious and excited about getting a player, there is always being anxious and wondering if he is going to come to you. So, I am just extremely excited that Khalil Mack is a Raider.” Q: Reggie, when you say you targeted him, if you had the first pick overall, would you have taken Khalil Mack? McKenzie: “I didn’t have the first pick. (laughing) We liked Khalil. We liked him a lot.” Q: What kind of offers did you have to move out of the No.5 slot? Did you get a lot of action, and did you ever think about it? McKenzie: “We got some offers, even before our pick came. But no deal was presented, only interest. Once Khalil fell to us, we had a couple of calls. At that point, I wasn’t taking any.” Q: Dennis, there are a lot of comparisons between Khalil and Von Miller. Did you see a lot of that? You were Von’s defensive coordinator. If you did, how does Mack’s skills translate to what you’re doing here now? Allen: “Yeah, absolutely. I saw a lot of similarities between him and Von Miller. I think the thing that really was attractive about Khalil Mack is the fact that he understands how to rush the passer and he understands how to rush the passer with power. To be successful in the National Football League in getting after the passer – I’ve made that statement several times that everything in the National Football League is about affecting the passer, whether it be offensively with weapons or whether it be defensively getting after the passer. He understands how to rush the passer. Yeah, I see a lot of similarities between he and Von Miller.” Q: Mack started and played in 48 games during his college career, so you had probably had as much tape on him as any prospect you’ve ever seen. Did the amount of tape that you saw him play really sell you that you were confident with him? McKenzie: “Yeah, we were very comfortable with not only the number of games but also in the league he played in. He was a real player on the field and he showed that. We don’t see anything but upside with him. He is going to get better.” Q: Do you envision him as a player that is going to step right into the starting lineup and play right away? And how much did you guys get a chance to talk to him? And what about the off-the-field side? McKenzie: “Let me answer the off-the-field and us talking to him. Off the field, he is a one. There are no issues with him at all. As far as having the opportunity to talk to him, we spent a lot of time with him at the combine. I spent time with him at this pro day. We got to know him really well. We talked to a lot of people close to him, so we felt like we knew the kid very well. Allen: “In regard to the impact, I don’t think there is any question. When we started this process, we were totally clear on the fact that we wanted to add some impact players to our football team. This is an impact player. This guy will have an impact on our football team for the 2014 season – there is no question about that.” Q: Dennis, you talked about versatility on defense. How is Khalil in terms of that being able to drop back in coverage and rush the passer? Allen: “He can do everything that we’re going to ask him to do. So, we’re excited about the versatility. He is a three-down player. He is going to be able to do a lot of the things that we’re going to ask him to do and have a huge impact on helping this defense and getting this defense where this defense needs to be.” Q: Reggie, having the background of a linebacker that you do, did that play any part in what you saw in Khalil Mack as a linebacker? McKenzie: “The one thing that he can do is rush the passer. He plays very well on the line of scrimmage. As far as what I look for in a linebacker, it’s the physicality. He can play strong and he can play with good extension, use his hands. The fact that he is big and he can run, that just added to his value. He is a football player and I think he is the total package.” Allen: “I think he is a little bit better than Reggie.” (laughing) Q: When it got you guys at No. 5, was it clear that it was going to be Mack, or was there any back and forth? McKenzie: “There was zero back and forth. We knew who we wanted.” Allen: “Absolutely. This is a guy that we targeted early in the draft process that we liked, that we wanted. To be honest with you, we felt fortunate that he was there when we got to the fifth pick.” Q: I don’t want to be too specific, but is he basically slotted as the weak-side linebacker? Allen: “I’m not going to really get into exactly where he is going to play. I’ll tell you this, he is, obviously, going to have a big role in what we’re going to do and he’ll be a guy that we’re going to use to send after the quarterback in a variety of different ways.” Q: Will he have his hand down? Allen: “He will have his hand in the ground some too, yeah. I envision his role being very similar to what we did with Von Miller.” Q: Once you got a quarterback, there was a sense that you wouldn’t go after a quarterback. Are you surprised, after 10 picks, that Johnny Manziel is still around? McKenzie: “First of all, with all the media talk, I am surprised. But still, a team has to pick him. It’s all about who is the best player at that particular time. These teams are picking other players. That’s just the way it is. If his value is not there … I’m sure he’ll get picked at some point soon.” Q: Are you guys done for the day or do you try to look for a deal to get back into the later part of the first round? McKenzie: “We’re never done.” Q: Obviously you guys have upgraded your talent, on paper anyway, in the last couple months. How do you blend it all together so quickly to form a winning team and get the team over the hump in short time? In other words, no growing pains for this collection of talent. Allen: “I think No. 1 it started in the offseason with the acquisitions and the free agents we were able to acquire, and not just players, but the types of players that we were able to acquire. We brought in a lot of veteran players that understand how to win championships, that have been a part of championship teams and they’ve been great team players for their respective clubs. I think that was the first part of being able to do that, and we’re going to continue to add some pieces. We’ve been at this thing now for three weeks with the offseason program and I think the team’s really beginning to come together pretty well. That’ll be a huge part of the process, is taking a lot of roster turnover and developing that into – instead of a group of individuals – a team that can go out and win football games on Sundays. That’s part of the process and we’re excited about it.” Q: Dennis, when you say this is a guy you targeted early, are you talking very early in the process or maybe within the last few weeks? And was that specific to the fifth pick because that’s who you thought who would be best at five or was it just ‘we just love this guy, that’s the guy we want’? Allen: “This was a guy that, when we met as a scouting staff and I was in there with them, this was a player that when we looked at him, we really liked the player. As we continued to go throughout the process we fell more in love with the player every time we had an exposure to him. Where we were going to pick this guy, I don’t know, but the fact is this was a guy we really liked and we wanted to add this guy to our football team. We felt fortunate that he was there at the fifth pick.” Q: Was there one thing that you fell in love with about him, whether it be football IQ, etc.? Allen: “The first thing I fell in love with was the tape. I think that’s probably the most important thing, but when you get an opportunity to sit down with the young man and visit with him and found out a little bit more about what he’s all about, he’s real man. He’s a real man, he’s a football-first guy, he’s got a tremendous work-ethic and he’s a team player. Those are all things that we look for in adding to our football team. This is not only a high quality football-character guy, but a high quality character guy off the field, too.” Q: Reggie, I know Matt Schaub has brought stability to the quarterback position, but as you look at the rest of the draft do you feel like the Raiders quarterback of the future might still be in this draft? McKenzie: “Yes, there’s an opportunity for that, yes.” Q: This is kind of for both of you guys. Khalil Mack is someone who maybe had a chip on his shoulder after he had only been recruited by two colleges coming out of high school. It seems like a pattern this offseason that you guys have a lot of guys who have chips on their shoulders. Does that go into consideration and is that one of the reasons you did pick this guy? Allen: “I think the big thing is that we identified this was the type of player that we wanted to add to our roster. He’s the type of player that we’re looking for and we talked about those things. This is a guy that’s a football-first guy, this is a guy that has tremendous work ethic and this is a guy that’s a team player. When you watch the tape and you see the production; he’s been a very productive player at the University of Buffalo and he’ll be a great player and a very productive player for us.” Q: How do you feel like he’s going to fit into this pass rush? You obviously added guys like [Justin] Tuck, [LaMarr] Woodley and [Antonio] Smith and guys up front, but it seems like he could sort of be a wild card that you can move around and play with as a play-caller. Allen: “He’s a nice chess piece to have. You can never have enough rushers in the National Football League; it’s all about affecting the quarterback, and he certainly can do that. When you add him into the mix with some of the guys that we were able to add this offseason, I think we’ve really helped out our pass-rush a lot.” Q: We’ve been hearing for the past four months about how JJ Watt is going to help [Jadeveon] Clowney. Can you touch how, on the field, Mack will fit in with the rest of the guys? When you talk about Woodley and Tuck and the championship-caliber players bringing him along as a professional football player, what sort of excitement does that bring? Allen: “I think that’s huge. Obviously we brought these players in because we feel like they still have a lot of football left to play and they can help us from a production standpoint, but another reason these guys are here is to help some of these young players to develop the foundation for our football team as we continue to go into the future. I think adding those type of veterans will do nothing but help a guy like Khalil Mack come in and have some success.” Q: Reggie, we’ve all heard about his Ohio State game. Is that the one that separated him and can you comment on what you saw that day? McKenzie: “You know what, it showed the level of competition compared to some of the teams in his conference. The things that we saw, and we stated this, as far as his ability to rush the passer, his ability to play strong at the line of scrimmage and his ability to move around and do multiple things. The guy has the size, he has the length, he’s got speed; he’s a playmaker. We’ll find a way to put him on the field and get some production out of him, but we saw a lot of things and that Ohio State game was just the tip of the iceberg.”
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Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 8, 2014
Fifth-overall pick and newest Raiders linebacker Khalil Mack spoke with the media on Thursday night shortly after he was drafted by the Raiders. Below is the transcript from the conference call with Mack: Q: You were slated that you could have been picked anywhere from 1 to 10. Were you surprised that you were picked by the Raiders? Mack: “I would have been surprised to land with anybody, just to know that it’s Oakland and I’ve never been there in my life, it’s a blessing.” Q: Have they talked to you about where specifically they want to use you? Mack: “We discussed a little bit that. They discussed having my hand down, they discussed a little outside linebacker. I’m ready to go play football.” Q: Dennis Allen compared your skill set to Von Miller, who he coached in Denver. Was that brought up in your conversation? Mack: “In a sense. It wasn’t that kind of conversation, but it was along the lines of me being a player that can make an impact on that team. I’m grateful.” Q: How much do you think the Ohio State game did for your stock? Mack: “It had to do very well for my stock. I played against top competition before Ohio State, but just knowing the stage it was on and knowing it was the first game of the year and knowing they were ranked so high, it benefitted.” Q: You said yourself, you’ve never been out here to Oakland. What do you know about the team and its history? Mack: “I know the Oakland Raiders play nasty. I’m a football player that likes to get in there and get nasty in a good way.” Q: You were not highly recruited out of high school, but that was a long time ago. Is that something that still motivates you? Mack: “No doubt. It’s something that I use to motivate me in a lot of ways.” Q: You have the same facemask as Justin Tuck. Did you see him wearing it? How does it feel to be joining a team with him now? Mack: “No doubt. Justin Tuck, how about that? Getting a chance to play with him is a blessing. He’s the best at what he does and I can learn from him. I can’t tell you how excited I am.” Q: After the Raiders had back to back 4-12 seasons, are you excited to be a part of something that can have a turnaround? Mack: “No doubt. That’s the thing, I want to come in there and make an impact, whether it’s playing special teams or all of those things. I can’t wait. I can’t wait to get back to playing football.” Q: How did the conversation go when you got the call? Mack: “The conversation was crazy. I believe I started on the phone with an assistant or a scout and then Reggie McKenzie got on the phone and started talking to me. Then I got on the phone with the head coach and he told me how he wanted to use me. It’s a blessing to know that I have this opportunity and that I can make the most of it.” Q: Was it emotional for you? Mack: “No doubt. It’s very emotional. I’m the guy that I wouldn’t cry out there. I’m going to save those tears for later.” Q: Do you feel like you were one of the best defensive players in this draft? Mack: “I think that I am, but even then, I’m at the point where I’m tired of talking and I’m ready to go out there and proving a little bit of this stuff. I can’t wait. I cannot wait.” Q: Which would you prefer, hitting a quarterback or hitting a running back? Mack: “Does the quarterback have the ball? I want to go get the ball out of his hand if he’s not holding it tight. I wouldn’t mind blowing both of them up.” Q: Were you worried that the Bills might draft you and you might wind up spending your whole life in Buffalo? Mack: “I was like, well I’ve got a lease right now up in Buffalo; I might be keeping it. (laughing)” Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 8, 2014 The long wait to see who the Raiders would select finally came to an end on Thursday night with the Raiders ultimately selecting linebacker Khalil Mack out of the University of Buffalo. Mack is an extremely versatile linebacker that will bring his explosiveness to a Raiders defense that struggled last season, giving up 363.7 yards per game (22nd in NFL), 28.3 points per game (29th), and just 38.0 sacks (18th). The Houston Texans believed to be looking to trade the first-overall selection but ultimately held on to the pick and selected standout defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. The St. Louis Rams then did exactly what most expected to do when they took offensive tackle Greg Robinson with their second pick. The real shakeup happened with the Jacksonville Jaguars selected quarterback Black Bortles with the third-overall pick. This meant that the Raiders would either have a choice of linebacker Khalil Mack or wide receiver Sammy Watkins when they select. The 2014 NFL Draft saw its first trade of the day early when the Buffalo Bills traded up from nine to four to steal Watkins away from the Raiders just one pick in front of them, but leaving Mack available for them. The Raiders wasted little time in taking the versatile linebacker as he was likely the guy they were targeting all along. While the Raiders would have liked to trade down and accumulate additional picks, Mack is just too good of a prospect to pass up on. Not only is Mack a solid player, but he also fills a hole on a team with many deficiencies on the roster. The Raiders struggled applying pressure on the quarterback last year and Mack will help assist with that. Mack finished with 10.5 sacks for Buffalo last season in 13 games. Raiders defensive end Lamarr Houston led the Raiders last season with just 6.0 sacks. Mack is also extremely versatile, something head coach Dennis Allen and Jason Tarver appreciate. The coaches will be able to move him around and put him in the best situations to succeed. In total, Mack accumulated 100 tackles (19 for a loss), the 10.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and five forced fumbles in 13 games last season. One thing that remains to be seen is how the Raiders will incorporate last year’s rookie strongside linebacker Sio Moore with Mack on the field as well. One possibility is to move Moore over to the weakside, or do the same for Mack. Like Moore, Mack has solid coverage skills and uses loose hips to stick with intended receivers. This question will likely be answered quickly when the team gets on the field as a (relatively) whole in Offseason Team Activities. While he played easier opponents while at Buffalo, the tape shows that Mack is explosive and will only make the Raiders defense better. Mack has some great leaders and football players to learn from in the locker room in Charles Woodson, Antonio Smith, Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and more, something that will only be beneficial to a young linebacker with his talent. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 8, 2014
The much anticipated (especially with the extra two weeks of waiting this year) 2014 NFL Draft is finally upon us, starting at 8:00 p.m. EST tonight. By now we all know a lot (sometimes too much about the draft prospects), so I won’t bore you with that information again. Thursday will be just round one of the draft, with each team being given 10 minutes to make their selection. Little is known as to which direction anyone will go, but it does seem likely that defensive end Jadeveon Clowney will be the first overall selection, whether that’s by the Houston Texans or another team trading up. The Raiders have stated many times this offseason that they want a “playmaker” and there’s no bigger ones on defense and offense than linebacker Khalil Mack and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, respectively. Mack could be the pass rusher that the Raiders defense desperately needs, while Watkins could provide the Raiders with a number-one receiver that they have lacked since Randy Moss departed from the team in 2006. It would be hard for the Raiders to pass up on either of them if they’re still available when the Raiders draft at #5 overall. The real question is what the Raiders will do if both Watkins and Mack are gone, which is certainly a possibility. If they are both gone, then there will be one of the top-three tackles available at five. We just don’t know which ones will be gone. The Raiders have reportedly liked Michigan offensive tackle Taylor Lewan over the rest of the tackles, and we’ll see if that’s truly the case if fellow tackles Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews are still available. The Raiders could look at wide receiver Mike Evans as a possible number one wide receiver and could use the pick on him, as he likely won’t last past the top 10. Another option is selecting Texas A&M quarterback Johnny “Football” Manziel or another one of the top quarterbacks, though it seems that despite needing a young quarterback, it looks like the Raiders aren’t interested in spending that early of a pick on a quarterback. Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie stated in his pre-draft press conference that he has been fielding offers for the fifth-overall pick and don’t be surprised if they do trade down to accumulate more picks, should Mack and Watkins already be off the board. The recent buzz has been that the Raiders want quarterback Derek Carr, so if they do trade back he may be a player to watch depending on what pick they trade for. Carr seems unlikely to still be around until the Raiders make their selection on Friday, which means if they don’t trade down to take him, they’ll likely have to trade up to get back into the first round to select him as Mike Mayock mentioned Wednesday. Problem is with Mayock’s prediction is that the Raiders don’t own a sixth-round pick and the Arizona Cardinals seem pretty interested in drafted Carr with the 20th pick of the draft. There’s only one thing that’s for certain about tomorrow’s day one, and that’s that nobody truly knows what is going to happen. It looks like we’re gearing up for a wild first day, so strap yourselves down Raider Nation and stay tuned to Silver & Black Report for live coverage from Radio City Music Hall. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 7, 2014
Silver & Black Report sought out questions from Raider Nation on our forum site, RaiderFans.net, and these are the answers formed by our knowledge of the team. If you would like to submit a question for the next Silver & Black Report mailbag, just create a username at RaiderFans.net and keep a look out for the “MAILBAG” threads in the regular forum. Swoosh23: My question would be for Reggie McKenzie or the draft board guys for the organization: We know that they look for high character football players, but what other aspects of a prospect weigh into the decision making progress? I know some posters have stated Reggie likes the Seniors more so than JRs, ect is this in case a fact or is it more about the maturity of the player? Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen have expressed their desire for “football players” on numerous occasions. They desire players that have love for the game and know how to play the game. It also appears that McKenzie seeks out players that play the game because they “love” it, which would likely mean they’ll be hard workers. It does seem Reggie likes seniors more but I believe that is simply a case of it being about the maturity of a prospect, as you hinted at. Not only that, but it also gives the front office more data points to see when looking at them as a prospect. Guru: Any inside indications of what we maybe leaning towards in the draft? I know several prospects visited the facility, any feedback on specific players/visits? I believe that McKenzie will stay true to his board and philosophy. This means that he will take the best player available as the team has so many holes that he can afford to take a player at almost any position. He certainly wants a playmaker but if the “playmakers” he desire are off the board already, he may take the best tackle on his board which has been reportedly Taylor Lewan. I think that McKenzie would like to trade down in the draft and accumulate more picks for a relatively deep draft. Ottomatic1: If you see Hayden, I would love to know where he sees himself health wise, and is the scar tissue issue taken care of? Hayden should be good to go and at 100 percent, including the scar tissue. He was fully recovered with the scar tissue last season, granting him permission to participate in full-contact drills in training camp and then playing in games. Hayden’s groin, which put him on IR last season, should be good to go and he should be 100 percent now. I will ask him for a quote during OTA’s regarding his health. Chewy316: If the Raiders are going to trade down, would they have a target in mind? Or would they want to accumulate picks? How do you see the first 5 picks of the draft unfolding? Will there be any trades (particularly in the first 4 picks)? I think trading down would be because the “playmakers” the Raiders desire are gone and they would rather have more ammo in a deep draft. I think the Raiders would be content in staying at #5 if Mack, Watkins and/or Clowney are somehow still available but they would rather accumulate more picks with a trade if they’re gone. I don’t think it’s because McKenzie thinks #5 overall is “too soon” to select someone, he seems to be willing to stay true to his board and go out and get the guy he wants. As for me personally with the first five picks, here’s what I THINK may happen: 1. HOU: Jadeveon Clowney 2. STL: Greg Robinson 3. JAX: Khalil Mack 4. CLE: Sammy Watkins 5: OAK: Jake Matthews or Taylor Lewan or trade If there were to be a trade in the top four, I could see Atlanta trading with Cleveland if Mack is still available and them taking Mack and then Cleveland being content with Manziel at #6. I do think that Jacksonville could take Watkins since they don’t know what is up with Justin Blackmon. With that said, Atlanta could just shake everything up by trading with Houston for the #1 pick and taking Clowney. They need the pass rushers badly. Guru: - Has anyone stood out by showing up to OTA’s in better/worse than expected shape? - Anyone noticeably absent from OTA’s? - Wiz contract extension, any news? - Rumors that a potential clerical error may have been spotted in the Austin Howard contract, any info on this? OTA’s are set to begin at the end of May with the media getting their first look on May 27. I will be able to answer these questions better at that time. I have not heard much about Stefen Wisniewski’s contract situation but I expect something to come out about it as the offseason progresses. Pseudoscot: Have the Raiders shown any interest in draft prospects from Div II or smaller schools? The Raiders have held many smaller schools’ football players for workouts. McKenzie and the Raiders have shown their ability to identify these smaller school playmakers by finding undrafted free agents and late-round picks that have produced for the Raiders. Lestermahoney: Where will the team be staying in London? When do they leave London? I am not sure where they will be staying yet but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was The Grove in Hertfordshire. Many of the other NFL teams that have gone to London have stayed there as they have the proper facilities to even host the practices. The Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49er’s and New Orleans Saints have stayed there for their London games. The team will most likely depart back for Oakland shortly after the game concludes, following treatments, showers and packing up. Swoosh23: Is there any truth that the team is on websites such as RFN in order to gauge fan opinion and in order to get other perspectives outside the front office as to what the “voice of the fan” is? I can’t say for certain but I wouldn’t be surprised. There’s not really any better way to get the opinion of the fans than a site with 65,000 members like RF! Artois: Sometimes there are rumors of Mark Davis being very involved on the football side of the operation. Is there any truth to these rumors, or has Davis stuck to his word on letting Reggie run the show? Have you ever met Mark Davis, and what is your impression of him? I believe Davis has stayed true to his word in letting McKenzie handle the football operations. Granted, every owner is going to have an opinion and I’m sure Davis is not one to censor that. But I think a lot of the moves you see can prove to you that it is McKenzie making the moves, as they are the ones that fit his “style”. I have talked with Davis before when he came into the locker room following a blowout loss in 2012. He seems passionate about this team and certainly wants it to get back on track and winning. MileHighRaider: DMac, MJD, Sheets, Jones, Stewart, Olawale – that’s a lot of running backs. Yet, we brought Gaffney in… Could we be looking for a short-yardage back in late rounds to fill the role Zach Crockett epitomized when the Raiders were last a factor in the NFL? Don’t forget about Latavius Murray in your list, he’ll get a chance too. There’s no question the Raiders lack a true short-yardage back and Tyler Gaffney would surely fill that void. The Raiders closest thing to a power back would be Marcel Reece, yet he’s the fullback. Gaffney’s size and physicality is something the Raiders desire in the backfield but have not been able to fulfill as of late. With that said, every team brings in a lot of players as they must do their due diligence just in case they’re available at a time the team sees them as big value. That concludes our first mailbag! I look forward to seeing your questions when the next mailbag is open after the draft! Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 7, 2014
Raiders running back Kory Sheets was arrested for possession of marijuana in Canada, according to Levi Damien and the Esteven Mercury. Sheets was allegedly speeding down a road when an officer pulled him over and smelled marijuana in the car. Sheets handed over what he was in possession of and plead guilty. Sheets was signed in the offseason as the Raiders want to give him a shot in the NFL after he became a star in the CFL, helping lead the Saskatchawan RoughRiders to a 2013 Grey Cup victory, with Sheets earning MVP honors. In his two CFL seasons, Sheets amassed 2,875 yards and 23 touchdowns. Sheets has spent a little bit of time in the NFL, participating in camps with the San Francisco 49er’s and Carolina Panthers, while also playing in two games with the Miami Dolphins in 2009. He had just one carry for five yards. Sheets was already going to have a hard time making the roster but this will only hurt his chances. First-time offenders receive a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s banned-substance policy. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 6, 2014
With the draft quickly approaching, Silver & Black Report wanted to get some of the Oakland Raiders beat writers together to see how they could imagine the Raiders’ draft going based on some of the team’s needs. For the sake of this piece, all picks were made under the assumption that the team does not trade out of the position. Check out the picks below: Chris McClain, Silver & Black Report | @ChrisMcClain No 5: Taylor Lewan, OT, Texas A&M: The Raiders reportedly prefer Lewan over Matthews and will likely get a chance at “their guy” if they stay at No. 5. It will be interesting to see if this is the case if fellow offensive tackles Jake Matthews and/or Greg Robinson are still on the board. Oakland will likely want to draft DE Jadeveon Clowney, LB Khalil Mack or WR Sammy Watkins but they could all very likely be off the board. The Raiders continue to address their offensive line by selecting one of the premier offensive tackles in this year’s draft. No. 36: Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri: The Raiders continue to address the trenches by selecting defensive end Kony Ealy out of University of Missouri. Ealy could be just what the Raiders defense needs as they struggled to apply pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks without blitzing. Ealy is an athletic defensive end that has a tremendous amount of upside. His athleticism gives defenses flexibility in using him, something both Dennis Allen and defensive coordinator Jason Tarver appreciate. No. 67: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois: The Raiders need a quarterback but chose to address their trenches with their first two picks. Garoppolo is an excellent prospect who displayed his talent in the East West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl. Playing at Eastern Illinois, Garoppolo didn’t always have the chance to play against elite talent but put up solid numbers and possesses a game that could translate well to the NFL. The pick would give the Raiders a young quarterback that they can groom under veteran Matt Schaub, something Garoppolo would need before starting in the NFL. No. 107: Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin: Reports have surfaced that Abbrederis may be considered the best route-running wide receiver in the draft. Abbrederis would give the Raiders a reliable hands-catching receiver that can be successful in the slot and reading the opponents’ defenses. Abbrederis will need to bulk up his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame to better handle the beating in the NFL. No. 219: Victor Hampton, CB, South Carolina: The Raiders did a solid job of filling the voids at cornerback with Tarell Brown and Carlos Rodgers, but both are only on one-year contracts. Hampton possesses raw, athletic talent but will need to develop his technique to reach his full potential. Hampton has was involved in an incident in April causing concern and further putting his draft stock under inspection, though he has since been exonerated. No. 235: Dexter McDougle, CB, Maryland: Oakland continues to look for additional defensive back help by taking a cornerback they’ve expressed interest in throughout the pre-draft process. McDougle has already met with the Raiders in a workout and he appears to be in their sights. The 5-foot-10 cornerback lacks the ideal height but uses his speed and technique to stick with wide receivers in coverage. No. 237: Austin Wentworth, OG, Fresno State: Wentworth is a three-year starter with tackle experience but will likely be kicked inside for his time in the NFL due to his slower speed. Wentworth could be a good pick for Tony Sparano and the Raiders to develop and continue to build their offensive line. Steve Corkran, Contra Costa Times/Bay Area News Group |@CorkOnTheNFL No. 5: OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan: The Raiders quest to rebuild both lines continues as the Raiders get the offensive tackle they like the best among a deep group. Lewan is one of four standout offensive tackle prospects expected to go in the top half of the draft. The Raiders get the one that they feel can be a cornerstone of their line for years to come. No. 36: WR Davante Adams, Fresno State: The Raiders passed on wide receivers Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans in the first round, but they find it too tough to pass on Adams in the second round. In Adams, the Raiders find a player that has the ability to turn into the No. 1 receiver the Raiders lacked since Randy Moss left after the 2006 season. Levi Damien, Silver & Black Pride | @LeviDamien No. 5: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: There are several players who have a good shot to be gone by the time the Raiders pick who, if they were still on the board, the Raiders must take them. Watkins and Khalil Mack top that list. So, really this comes down to who I believe is more likely to be there. Watkins would instantly give the Raiders the number one receiver they have not had since Randy Moss in 2005. And that acquisition proved disastrous. The last great drafted Raiders receiver was Tim Brown in 1988. They’re well overdue for another. No. 36: Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State: One of the last great pass rush prospects in this draft. The Raiders didn’t draft a defensive end last draft until their final pick – David Bass – and they cut him before the season. They need to build the future at defensive end right now. No. 67: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois: Has the potential to be one of the best quarterbacks in this draft. He put up big numbers at Eastern Illinois and simply needed to show his skills on a big stage which he did at the East West Shrine game. That earned him an invite to the Senior Bowl where he continued to impress. With all the top quarterbacks gone by the second round, the Raiders get their heir apparent to Matt Schaub right here. No. 107: Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon: Completely shut down his side of the field for the Ducks last season. It was his opposite starting cornerback Ifo Ekpre Olomu – a fantastic corner in his own right — who made all the big plays because quarterbacks were busy staying away from Mitchell. Mitchell’s speed came into question when he ran a 4.63 40-yard-dash at the combine. But he came back in an individual workout in his hometown of Sacramento, and ran a 4.43. The Raiders were on hand to witness that workout. No. 219: Marcel Jensen, TE, Fresno State: A well-rounded tight end. He blocks well, has a good set of hands, and plays special teams. His skill set makes him an attractive option and would keep him on the field a lot. The Raiders picked two tight ends late in last year’s draft and have David Ausberry returning as well after spending last season on injured reserve. There isn’t a sure thing among them and competition is needed. No. 235: Matt Feiler, OG, Bloomsberg: Tony Sparano loves his sleeper offensive linemen. Five times in his ten years as an offensive line coach, OC, or head coach he has taken an offensive linemen in the sixth or seventh round. He also likes versatility. And this 6-6, 330 pounds college offensive tackle looks destined for a move to guard. No. 237: Isaiah Lewis, S, Michigan State: Finding some depth at the safety position is needed. Lewis is a seasoned starting strong safety who is a very good tackler and strong in run support. He is also a supreme athlete, having ranked among the top performers in nearly every workout at the scouting combine. His abilities also translate to being a valuable addition on coverage teams. Vic Tafur, San Francisco Chronicle | @VicTafur No. 5: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson No. 36: Dee Ford, DE, Auburn No. 67: Tom Savage, QB, Pitt No. 107: Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon No. 219: Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford No. 235: Bryan Witzmann, OT, S.Dakota St No. 237: Shamar Stephen, DT, Conn. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 1, 2014
Raiders wide receiver Brice Butler is entering his second year in the NFL after being drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Butler took some time to answer some questions that Silver & Black Report had regarding his experience in the draft, this year’s offseason and his expectations for the upcoming season. You can view the interview in its entirety below: SBReport: How have you handled the offseason after your rookie season last year? Have you done anything special in terms of working out? Did you work out with any of the guys in the offseason? Brice Butler: Well unfortunately I had surgery on my shoulder this offseason so I have primarily been working to rehabilitate it. That’s what I’ve been primarily working on! I’ve only been able to run a little over a month now. SB: We’re getting close to draft day now. It was just a year ago that you went through the same thing that a lot of young guys about to enter the league are going through right now. Describe the lead up to the draft for you. What teams showed the greatest interest in you? BB: The lead up to the draft for me was a lot of hard work – just getting prepared to give a good impression to which ever team I landed on! I had a lot of interest from a lot of teams but you never know who had what amount of interest in you. I’d say the RAIDERS showed the greatest interest in me, ha! SB: In regards to the draft, what was draft day like for you? Where were you when you got the phone call from the Raiders and what were you doing? What was the process like and how did it feel to get that call? BB: Draft day for me was Saturday – the last day of the draft. I was just at my house with my wife, then my fiancée, mother and father and we were just watching. It was hard cause once it got to the 6th round, any name that wasn’t mine was a little disheartening! When I got the call I was actually on another call with another coach from another team. I answered and I was picked so it was just crazy from that point on it was a blur. But it was great! SB: How did it feel when you had signed the contract and started to get to work for the Oakland Raiders? What was going through your head when you went in there for the first day of offseason workouts? BB: It was like “it’s business time, let’s go. Show them every damn second that they made the right pick!” Still is like that today. SB: Did anyone, coaches or players, go out of their way to take you under their wings last year? BB: Charles Woodson was with me every step of the way.. Talked to him about almost everything, when season was going great and when it went bad. He had advice and wisdom for me! SB: Did you attend the rookie symposium? What did you take away from that experience last year? BB: It was great for us to be there and get a jump start into what to expect. If I could, which I know it might be tough, all rookies should attend that thing! SB: Throughout the entire league year, what do you think was the most important thing you learned last year? How is it going to help you develop this season? BB: Understanding the importance of taking care of your body. I’m definitely going to be doing the necessary things to keep my body at optimal level! SB: Now in your second set of offseason workouts with the team, how is it different this time around? BB: Not anxious about anything! I’m more calm. SB: How much easier is it knowing what you’re getting into with the offseason workouts this year? BB: It’s way easier – I feel more relaxed! SB: What are you goals for the upcoming season compared to last? BB: My goals have more to do with consistency rather than focusing solely on what type of numbers I had. I also want to have a bigger spiritual influence on my team this year – I was too quiet last year! SB: Have you had a chance to talk with Matt Schaub much? What have you seen from him that excites you about him being the Raiders quarterback? BB: I’m actually sitting next to him as I write these answers! But he’s a player that I’ve been watching for years since Andre Johnson is one of my favorite receivers. He gets the ball down field and he can command a team. I’m excited to see what the season has in store for us SB: Is there anything else you’d like to tell Raider Nation? BB: WE WORKING ON SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL!!!! Originally published on Silver & Black Report on May 1, 2014
Yes, you heard it right, I am going to be one of “those guys” that does a way-too-early prediction of where this team ends up now that the season’s schedule has been released. The Raiders face the toughest schedule on paper, facing opponents that won .578 of their games last season as a whole. Roger Goodell and the NFL didn’t exactly help the Raiders with the first quarter of their schedule, starting them out on the East Coast against the Jets. The Raiders have lost 13-straight East Coast games, which very well could continue this season. Following their home-opener in week two, the Raiders head back to the East Coast to take on the Patriots before heading even further East to take on the Miami Dolphins in London. Needless to say, that’s a lot of travel for the first four weeks. Anyways, if you haven’t seen the schedule yet, you can see it here. If you have and want to see my predictions as to what may happen this season, keep reading below. With the draft still to come and all of offseason workouts and training camp, let’s move on to my “way-too-early” prediction: Week 1 – at New York Jets || Result: WIN I know, I know, I brought up the stat about the Raiders losing 13 games in a row on the East Coast, but streaks have to end at some point, right? I think the Raiders will match up well against the Jets. The Raiders will come out active and feeding off the adrenaline of the season starting and leave New York with their first victory on the East Coast in 13 games. Week 2 – Houston Texans || Result: WIN “Woah,” you say? Yes, the Raiders will once again be victorious as they host the Houston Texans for the home opener. The Raiders have won three out of their last four home openers and will make it four out of five this year. Schaub will look to prove against his old team that last season was a fluke year and the Raiders will walk away from the week 2-0. Week 3 – at New England Patriots || Result: LOSS Despite thinking they will beat the Jets in week one, there’s no questioning that the Raiders have struggled in the Eastern time zone. It doesn’t help that they’ll be going up Tom Brady and the Patriots who are perennially in contention in the playoffs, or close to them. The Patriots will be too much for the Raiders as they leave Foxborough with their first loss of the season. Week 4 – Miami Dolphins (London) || Result: LOSS Whether it’s the East Coast thing or not, the Miami Dolphins have had the upper hand against the Raiders as of late and have won the last four contests between the two teams. The Dolphins will continue this streak at Wembley Stadium in London, dropping the Raiders to .500 heading into their bye. Week 5 – BYE Week 6 – San Diego Chargers || Result: WIN The Raiders found a way to jump out in front of the Chargers at home last season and will do the same this year. Schaub will get the offense rolling while the Raiders secondary will frustrate Phillip Rivers and the Chargers passing game. Raiders get their season back above .500. Week 7 – Arizona Cardinals || Result: WIN Raider Nation will be welcoming some former Raiders back to town in Carson Palmer and Jared Veldheer but I expect Palmer to have an errant game with a couple of turnovers to set up the Raiders offense with some easy scores. It will be a hard-fought victory for the Raiders against a tough Cardinals defense. Week 8 – at Cleveland Browns || Result: LOSS This will just be one of those games the Raiders seem to have at times that leaves you scratching your head. The Raiders haven’t won in Cleveland since they were the Los Angeles Raiders in 1985. They’re also 4-8 against the Browns in all since then. Week 9 – at Seattle Seahawks || Result: LOSS The Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions for a reason: simply put, they’re good. The Raiders offense will struggle to get going against that stout defense and Russell Wilson and the offense will make enough plays to get the victory. Week 10 – Denver Broncos || Result: LOSS The Raiders are winless against a Peyton Manning-led Denver Broncos team and it will be hard to halt that streak this year. Granted, I do believe if they were going to steal one away from Manning and the Broncos it would have to be this one at home as opposed to the one at Mile High. The Raiders losing streak extends to three straight. Week 11 – at San Diego Chargers || Result: LOSS The Raiders will split the season series with the Chargers just as they did last season. Phillip Rivers and the Chargers offense will make adjustments from the first game and hand the Raiders another loss on the year. Week 12 – Kansas City Chiefs || Result: LOSS The Raiders only primetime game in 2014 is certainly a tough match-up as they host the Kansas City Chiefs. Let’s hope this won’t be a Jamaal Charles screen drill again and the Raiders can make the proper adjustments to prevent the 56-31 blowout loss that happened at O.Co last season. The Raiders struggled mightily against the Chiefs last year, it’s hard to see it changing so quickly. If the Raiders were to sneak one away from KC, it would certainly be this one at home. Week 13 – at St. Louis Rams || Result: WIN There’s not much of a sample size but the Raiders are 8-4 when taking on the St. Louis Rams. I expect that to increase to 9-4 as Oakland frustrates the Rams offense en route to halting their losing streak. Week 14 – San Francisco 49er’s || Result: LOSS The 49er’s recent success isn’t a fluke. They rely on stout defense and a steady offense to get the job done and the Raiders will struggle against another very tough NFC West defense. The Battle of the Bay will finally be back but it won’t be in the Raiders favor this time. Week 15 – at Kansas City Chiefs || Result: LOSS The Raiders had a better chance to pull out the win at home and will have a rough time in front of the rowdy crowd at Arrowhead. The Raiders will be swept by the Chiefs just as they were last season. Week 16 – Buffalo Bills || Result: WIN Oakland has lost their last two games against Buffalo by a total of four points. Those two losses were on the road and the Raiders will look to get a win in front of the final home crowd of the season, barring a playoff berth. The Raiders defense will bottle up C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson as the Raiders pull off the win. Week 17 – at Denver Broncos || Result: LOSS The Broncos could very well be fighting for seeding in the playoffs again, or Manning could be looking to beat his record or others and the Raiders could fall victim to that for a second straight year. The Broncos are tough to beat with Peyton Manning and that offense, but they’re even tougher at home. Raiders fall to lose their fourth-straight season finale. TOTAL: 6-10 Like I stated above, this is just an early prediction just for fun. This can all change greatly with the draft still to come and training camp and actually seeing the team on the practice field. The Raiders need to have a solid draft and certainly have the potential to increase their wins in 2014, despite a very difficult schedule. Originally published on Silver & Black Report on April 23, 2014 The NFL released the schedule of all 256 games on Wednesday, including the Raiders’ difficult schedule. On paper, the Raiders have the toughest schedule in the league – facing opponents with a .578 winning percentage last season. The Raiders will face every team from the AFC East and NFC West, as well as the teams taht finished in last place in the AFC South and AFC North. The Raiders hold one “primetime” game at the moment, a Thursday-night bout against the Kansas City Chiefs at home on Nov. 20. Below is the Raiders 2014 regular-season schedule. Opponents in BOLD represent home games.
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