2007 NFL Draft - Part 1

There has been a lot of talk recently that you need to build around a QB. That sentiment was given on ESPN's draft special this afternoon. Specifically, it was said that you need a marquee guy to get you to the Super Bowl. I disagree. Sure, Peyton Manning helped the Colts win it this year, but if you look down the list of Super Bowl teams in recent years, it's really not the all-time greats (and early first round picks) that are getting it done.

In the last five years, you have Manning and McNabb in the big game, along with 6th rounders Brady and Hasselbeck, later first rounders Roethlisberger and Grossman (who were part, not driving forces, in the runs by their respective teams), Delhomme, Brad Johnson and Rich Gannon.

The Raiders (and other NFL teams) shouldn't overvalue big-name QB's that aren't proven commodities because if you miss on a QB it sets you back years! You invest so much money that you can't cut ties with mistakes like Tim Couch, Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith without paying a big penalty. Would the Houston Texans have subjected David Carr to as much abuse if he hadn't been a high draft pick?

The Raiders aren't a QB away from the Super Bowl. While Aaron Brooks isn't going to the HOF, he has been successful in the NFL. Andrew Walter was an early 3rd round pick who was fairly highly regarded coming out of Arizona State. What makes people think Russell will come in and fix all the Raiders' ills. Russell may be big and athletic (though he's not Michael Vick or Vince Young when it comes to mobility), this isn't HS. He's not going to be able to side-step and stiff arm DE's and DT's then toss it down the field. Seems like trying to trade back and get some OL help (or keeping some cap flexibility to sign some OL help) would be prudent. If you sink a truckload of money into Russell without fixing any of the other holes, you wasted last year's Andrew Walter pick.

I'm not sure exactly what Oakland needs, but Calvin Johnson would be an upgrade at WR. Give Walter some weapons (Johnson, Moss and Porter) and pick up a solid OL guy a little later on. If you trade the #1 pick to Cleveland (seems like they really want Russell), you don't have to pay #1 overall money and can add picks to improve the team later on (or get considerations for the next year's draft). Taking Russell just doesn't make sense, especially because he's been bolstered not by great play on the field but by his "potential".