2016 NFL Draft

[Quake Griffin]

Who do you like?
Where do you think we should focus?
O-line?
Secondary?
BPA?
Anything you'd like to leave to FA specifically?
Anything you'd like to leave to the draft specifically?


Prospects I like even if they aren't going to be at our slot:
Myles Jack
Jaylon Smith
Jaylen Ramsey
DeForest Buckner
A'Shawn Robinson
Sua Cravens
Laremy Tunsil
Jack Conklin
Taylor Decker


Knee Jerk Reaction with us being at the 14 slot….and crossing my fingers.
I know we have needs at LB….but man…if we went 3-4 and sported Mario-Dan-Buckner

[HMFFL]

^
A'Shawn Robinson interest me a great deal.
There is so much time between now until the draft that the picture will become clear, but I lean defense right now, so that's where I stand at the present time.

[HMFFL]

I found this mock draft by doing a quick search on google and it's only two days old.

Mackensie Alexander
CB, Clemson

The Raiders’ best corner this season? Improbably, it was Washington cast-off David Amerson. D.J. Hayden (Round 1, 2013) hasn’t panned out at all the way Oakland hoped and T.J. Carrie (Round 7, 2014) is a work in progress. Enter Alexander, a touch undersized at 5'11" but a prospect with true No. 1 cornerback potential, especially in man-to-man assignments. http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/01/06/2016-nfl-mock-draft-laremy-tunsil-jared-goff

[HMFFL]

1. Mel Kiper Jr., has the Raiders taking Michigan State offensive tackle Jack Conklin with the 14th overall selection in the draft.

http://www.raiders.com/news/article-1/Who-Does-Mel-Kiper-Jr-Have-the-Raiders-Taking-in-the-Draft-and-More/8378f717-ef56-4209-974e-4568dfccf246

[Twinkie defense]

LT and CB, sounds like a good plan...

http://www.ibabuzz.com/oaklandraiders/2016/01/15/raiders-should-go-with-t-jack-conklin-then-take-their-pick-in-good-field-of-corners-says-draft-analyst-mel-kiper-jr/


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[Quake Griffin]

Conklin would be great at 14.

Carr took a beating the 2nd half of this season….granted injuries had something to do with it.
Penn seems to be waning in his 30s. Howard and Menelik seemed to suffer devastating injuries and the depth behind like Barnes, Bergstrom (who wasn't bad at C this year) could use an upgrade.



unacceptable.
A lot of people were upset with him checking down so much his rookie year. Then a lot of people were upset at him holding on to the ball too long this year (particularly towards the end of the year with a banged up Coop and injured O-line).

Protect this man….and I believe, even if we sign someone, like Kelvin Beachum, we still need a young draftee being developed on our line anyway.


I like Mel's projection here. I'd like to test my feelings on it if Miles Jack or Buckner are there at 14 though.

[FNQ]

Conklin would be great, I expect him to rise ahead of us before draft day. Stanley will definitely be gone. In that event, give me Ezekiel Elliot, and let him and Murray take turns keeping the other fresh and dangerous. Profit.

I'd rather address our DB slot in FA, and go after a proven yet unheralded guy in Trumaine Jackson. He definitely benefit from a quality pass-rush, but I think we're on our way to building one ourselves.

[Quake Griffin]

I'm terribly scared of building one of those punk early 2000s Colts teams by focusing on getting Carr weapons.
Build the O-line so we can be better running the football and build the defense.

We don't need much more than an improved Coop, Crab, ERFA contract Seth, LaTavius and Clive.
any "weapons" should be added in the later rounds to me….maybe the 3rd and back.

[FNQ]

I was thinking more like the Packers.. Develop on offense and sign players on defense that fit the system

We are closer to bring elite offensively than defensively.. I'd embrace that

[Quake Griffin]

Yeah and if you ask me, they're wasting his prime because of it. Instead of being multiple time SB winners, they've spent the time after the Pittsburgh SB getting bitchslapped by the 49ers, Seahawks, Cardinals. They didn't even win their division this year because…..a team that invested in their defense with no pass blocking and practically no WRs bullied them in Week 17 in Green Bay.

I want what wins. I don't care if it hurts. Build me a winner.

Weapons 2 years in a row in the 1st?
That's a setup for soft teams that score a bunch of points in the regular season and get "upset" in the playoffs when a team that can play D and run the football hits them in the mouth.

Me personally, I want Carr to be a winner. I don't want him haunted by postseason failures that aren't exactly his fault because the team was built to give him weapons instead of winning in the trenches.

[FNQ]

They had injury issues and Lacy got fat.. when healthy they're a top 3 team

Fwiw, Zeke looks like a surefire stud to me. Invest in FA (Osemele, Incognito) and you have a juggernaut on offense with defensive upside. I don't think either LT makes it to us at 14. But a guy who looks like a top 3 RB? These types are now UNDERvalued. Gurley is evidence of that. But I'm starting to doubt Zeke makes it to 14 either now

[HMFFL]

First Round mock draft.
4 different guys.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/mock-drafts

[Quake Griffin]

They've lost 4 other years post SB. This year's injuries aren't their only excuse. They're not the class of the conference anymore even though they have the top QB in the game. That's an organizational failure. And lol if anyone has them favored in the NFC next year. They may not even win their division AGAIN.


Weapons with "Defensive upside" is the early 2000s Colts. No matter how you word it.
Why not just build the defense?
You don't need to choke in the playoffs for 3 year just to reach the same conclusion I've reached now:
O-line and defense.

[FNQ]

The Pats dynasty - the one with the actual top QB in the game - is a team with weapons and defensive upside. Their O-line has been subpar for 3 straight years.

The Packers have lost both tackles the last 2 years, and have wilted due to numerous injuries. Last year it was their OL and Jordy. The year before it was both of their lines. A healthy Jordy, getting their edge passpro back, and having a focused Lacy makes them the best offense in football. Now consider they have a quality DL, Mathews likely switching back to outside, and capable DBs. The last time they had a season as injury-free as our 2015 campaign, they won the Super Bowl.

There's a reason teams are being built in their image. The game is pass-happy. The only thing thats truly holding them back now is recent draft struggles, like Davante Adams, the most average receiver ever.

[Quake Griffin]

But they had an elite defense and a good O-line on their 1st 3.
Why would you look to their 1 out of 11 run instead of their 3 out of 4 run?
If anything. Brady only winning ONE over the last 11 years after becoming a much better QB than his younger years is to my point. Not yours.

Moreover, he mastered the short throwing game and has somewhat neutralized the impact of bad pass blocking by getting it out very quickly. We don't have those type of WRs. Amari can't even catch a slant to save his life. Plus, when the Denver corners were able to sit on those routes, Tom almost lost his life. In fact, any time he's looked poorly in the playoffs it's because the D is getting a significant amount of pressure on him.

The Packers and the early 2000s Colts are the same animal to me with different media spins/ coverage.
Elite QB. Weapons. One Ring. Tons of disappointment. Tons of excuses (injuries? It's football FOH. You don't get 5 years worth of excuses). Most importantly, both won their rings when they had a defense.

Again, you can kick the can down the road or pay the piper now. Doesn't matter which way you want to go. The defense will need to be addressed. Do it in 2016 or in 2019?

I'm not averse to Zeke completely btw. I'd just like to see a lot of things happen in FA before I feel comfortable putting an RB back there with my 1st rounder.

[Quake Griffin]

The Seattle Seahawks are more successful to me than the Packers over the last 5 years.
1 SB. 1 SB runner up (2 NFC Chips). A playoff victory over the Packers. An NFC Championship victory over a team that beat the Packers in the playoffs vs. 1 SB run.
The only advantage the Packers have is 4 Division titles to 3.

Give me Seattle's model.
This wouldn't even be debatable if Pete just handed the ball to Marshawn but whatever.

[HMFFL]

Green Bay has lacked the defense recently that they've had during the past.
Seattle has been well rounded but with a QB that has the ability to run.
I'd probably prefer Rodgers over Wilson during the playoffs, but overall, it's hard to matchup with what Seattle has had on defense. The Seahawks running game has also been far superior.

[HMFFL]

CBS Mock Draft
14. Oakland Raiders: Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State
http://gnb.247sports.com/Gallery/44018398/Photos/8jpg-4338399?View=Full#USATSI9142085jpg-4347030

[Quake Griffin]

Since the O-line is secure and it seems like Ezekiel Elliot is a very plausible BPA for us at 14.

I can work with it.

[FNQ]

To get Elliot, we have 4-5 teams ahead of us with a need for him: Dallas, Philadelphia, Miami, Baltimore, and NYG. Dallas seems like a reach with Jack or Ramsey still on the board. Philly needs line help, so I'd say they are moderate. I think Baltimore is the likely suitor, with a solid line and little passing game chops. Miami failed to sign CJ, so they're in play. Giants likely go WR, but have a crappy RB situation too..