Combine Interview List

So far only QB Geno Smith & QB Tyler Bray have said on air that they have spoken with the Raider brass. But here is a list of other players that have unofficially said they spoke to the Raiders also. The Raiders are allowed to interview 60 players at the combine, but do not release a list so other teams will not know who they are targeting. No news yet on the others players the Raiders have interest in.


QB Tyler Bray, Tennessee
OT Braden Brown, BYU
DT Jonathan Hankins, Ohio State
TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati
RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
LB Mike Taylor, Wisconsin
DE Bjoern Werner, Florida St
WR Robert Woods, USC


Any thoughts on these guys becoming Raiders in the near future?

There are some really names on that list.  A bunch of realistic pick ups for us, too.  Couple of thoughts ...

QB Tyler Bray, Tennessee:  I think would be a great pick up.  IMHO, he has the best skill set of any qb in this class.  If we're 'gonna take a quarterback, he's the guy I'd want us to get.  A lot of scouts are saying he's "raw" and "unpolished" etc etc.  But that's why pro teams pay QB coaches and offensive coordinators.  Plus he can play behind Palmer for a year or two.     
    
OT Braden Brown, BYU - Would be another body in that log jam at RT/RG.  Played tackle in college, projects as possibly a guard in the NFL.  Creating competition and letting the best guys come out of that isn't a bad thing, IMHO.  RE Drafting another middle of the pack OL from a Mormon school:  Is this just something we can count on with Reggie McKenzie?  Sort of like Al Davis drafting a really fast guy?   Where do we take him?  3rd?  4th?     

DT Jonathan Hankins, Ohio State - Not who I'd pick, as I'm not high on Ohio State guys.  Seriously, I can't think of the last one to come out who was worth a $h1t.  I don't see that changing, with Urban Meyer in there, either.  However, Hankins has been regarded/thought of as the best DT in this class.  Maybe he breaks the mold?  Somebody will draft him to find out.  I'd rather it not be us.         

TE Travis Kelce, Cincinnati - I really like this guy.  Could be the next great Raider TE.  Big, strong, fast, good hands.  And a good blocker, from what I saw.  A really great pickup, if he's there in the 3rd round.    

RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama - I'd like him on the team.  He's a good back, but I don't think we have a shot at him.  We're not 'gonna take him at 3 and he won't be around in the 3rd.  
 
QB Geno Smith, West Virginia.  Nope.  Just nope.  This guy has 7-9 QB written all over him, just like Mark Sanchez.  Somebody will draft him and commit to a 3-5 year experiment to prove it, and I don't want that to be us.  

LB Mike Taylor, Wisconsin.  Could be a very good pickup.  Wisconsin guys do a pretty good job in the pros.  They're built like NFL players, and they're well-coached and tough.  Could be another Miles Burris for us in the 4th or 5th.  
   
DE Bjoern Werner, Florida St.  I really like Bjoern Werner.  I think he's 'gonna be a very good DE in the pros.  Most of the big knocks that I've seen on him are fixed with good coaching.  The other one is "He can't drop into coverage".  BFD, then draft a safety instead.  
 
WR Robert Woods, USC.  Tough to tell.  USC hasn't had a decent receiver in the pros for a while.  But this guy runs great routes and has great hands.  Scouts question his speed, though.  And Desmond Trufant worked him pretty good in their game vs UW, so Woods might have some work to do.  He's a guy I'd do my homework on VERY carefully.  If I thought the holes in his game are fixable, I'd absolutely take him.  IMHO you can never have enough receivers.  They're the only position that has to run full-out ALL the time ... even in practice.  It catches up to them.  Depth keeps that from becoming an issue, though.  We can probably get him in the 3rd.  Maybe 4th?            



 

There are a few guys here but I believe a tradedown is in effect come April. I can see Woods in the 3rd rd, Werner or Hankins once the Raiders tradedown in the 1st and Taylor in the later rds. Don't see much interest from Reggie as far as the other players are concerned.

I just feels great to actually have a 1st rd pick instead of throwing them away on over the hill, unproductive players. Reggie and Allen are really under pressure to get it right this yr and it starts next wk!!

Thanks for the input coach. I really hope some of the Raider interviews are still hidden, because I was hoping Reggie & DA would be busier than this. My question is how important are the OL/DL to Reggie?

Lacy is a good back, but I'd rather have Montee Ball. Projections show Ball may be available in the 4th.


I'm kindof shocked we don't have any corners on the list. Hopefully that means Reggie will look to FA to fill that void.

I agree, trading down is ideal Carson is Great. Hopefully someone bites & we can pick up a 2nd rounder also.  With the hope of getting more picks, more players should be on the radar.

They put a cap on how many players you can interview and work out something like 28 I think. More often than not the players they interview and or bring in are guys they have the most question marks about or the most curious about. Most of the time its leaked who they are talking either through the player or the team leaks it themselves.

There is so much hysteria about the draft every year. In 07 I dont remember them bringing in JaMarcus, Megatron or AP and Al Davis during the press conferance announcing Lane Kiffin, stated that all 3 where spectacular. They did bring in Zach Miller but thats because they knew who they wanted in the first round, they also brought in Brady Quinn who they felt they could either get cheaper OR later in the draft if they went elsewhere than Russell.

Every one of those players mentioned above are likely to fall out of the top 5 and maybe even top ten, some may even go undrafted or drop very fall in the draft. Its just covering the bases.