With all the excitement of the playoffs I completely forgot to check on where the Raiders finished in the draft order. A quick check of NFL.com shows they own pick #17. Check that. The New England Patriots own pick #17.
The Raiders sent the pick to the Pats before last season for Pro Bowler Richard Seymour. The veteran had fallen out of favor with the coaches. Not sure why. He was a good player although I always felt he was a little overrated. Either way, he was gone. And the Pats had the Raiders' top pick in the 2011 draft two years later. When the trade was made the Raiders were a mess. The prospects of the pick being in the top 10 seemed good.
It didn't quite work out that way. The Raiders, behind coach Tom Cable, were expected to win four or five games. The silver and black got off to a 1-3 start and the Pats' pick seemed in good hands with Cable. But then something strange started happening. The Raiders started winning. at one point winning three in a row. It was very annoying to watch, kind of like the stock market. The Raiders finished the season a respectable and surprising 8-8. As a reward Raider patriarch Al Davis fired Cable. Maybe he was worried that the Patriots would no longer trade with him because they were mad that the pick wasn't in the top 10. Don't worry Al. Belichick will still take your calls offering draft picks and star wide receivers any time.
According to NFL draft guru Mel "The Hair" Kyper, if the Pats want to go offense with the 17th pick they might have a shot at two Alabama players: running back Mark Ingram or wide receiver Julio Jones. On the defensive side, players like D linemen Adrian Clayborn of Iowa or Cameron Heyward of Ohio St. Of course that all depends on Belichick actually using the pick. Which is a 50-50 deal at best.
When the Pats go on the clock with the 17th pick, they will have six of the next 80 selections. If they hit on half of those, added to the great drafts of the last two years, the team will be stocked for seasons to come.
And if the Pats can find a guy even half as good as the guy in the video below... well that will be a hell of a player.
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