Across the Pond by Dave Wilson
Second Day Stars of the Draft
Whilst the majority of the attention of the NFL scouts and coaches will be focused on the first round of the draft, it isn’t always the first round that produces the players that make the difference.
Whilst we often forget about those late second day picks, and treat them almost as an afterthought, quite often they are the very players who come good and make the roster. Some become all pros in the right system. It was easier years ago, when there were less staff on a team’s scouting department, and Al Davis scoured the small colleges that no one else did for talent.
In the 21st century it seems like every college player in the entire country has been profiled down to the last detail. As the draft has slowly been cut in size down to 7 rounds now, a late second day pick is in the 6th or 7th. But still coaches find those gems in the rough that other teams have overlooked, despite the excess of analysis. Who would have thought that New Orleans would find what they did in Marques Colston two years ago?
Oakland has had its fair share of these players over the years, so here is just a look back at our late round winners to see just how much they have contributed.
Oren O’Neal – FB – Arkansas State – 6th round 2007. Was the real cinderella story of last years draft. Who would have thought a kid with one lung would beat out Zach Crockett for the last full back spot? At 5’ 11 and 245 lbs, he has been doing a good job of clearing out those linebackers.
Ronald Curry – WR – North Carolina – 7th round 2002. Originally drafted as a quarterback in 2002, Curry has developed into Oakland’s most reliable receiver over the last few years. Hopefully he still has a lot left to contribute in the coming seasons.
Grady Jackson – DT – Knoxville – 6th round – 1997. It is 12 years later and Jackson is still playing in the NFL. Believe it or not, before he grew large enough to have his own zip code he was an athletic pass rushing DT, and had 8 sacks for us in 2000.
Greg Biekert – LB – Colorado – 7th round – 1993. Biekert played 10 years for the Raiders and started at MLB from day 1. You don’t expect to find a year starter for a decade that far down the draft. He might not have been Ray Lewis, but he was a reliable run stuffer and always gave everything. A personal favourite of mine.
Bo Jackson – RB – Auburn – 7th round - 1987. If Bo had dedicated himself completely to football, and stayed healthy, he had the ability to break every record in the book. Unfortunately his career was cut short through injury. A classic Al Davis piece of brilliance, Al knew if anyone could get Bo into football, it was him. And didn’t it just pay off!
Stacey Toran – S – Notre Dame – 6th round – 1984. Stacey Toran was a great pick in the 6th round and had developed into an excellent player in his 5 years with the Raiders. His promising career was tragically ended in 1989 when he died in an automobile accident. Apart from a single season appearance by Rod Woodson, Oakland has not had a safety of his calibre since.
Mervyn Fernandez – WR – San Jose State – 10th round – 1983. Another trademark Al Davis move. Knowing that Fernandez was going to the CFL, Davis took a chance again that worked in a big way, as ‘swervin Mervyn’ played 6 years in the silver and black, for 3,765 yards and 18 TD’s.
Frank Hawkins – FB – Nevada-Reno – 10th round – 1981. Hawkins played fullback at 5’ 9” and 185lbs, it certainly couldn’t happen now. He played 7 years with the Raiders and earned his Superbowl ring as the starting fullback on the team. He opened holes for Marcus Allen all year, including his record setting 191 yd day against the Redskins.
Bruce Davis – T – UCLA – 11th round – 1979. Moved into the starting lineup when Art Shell retired, played nine years with the Raiders and was the starting left tackle for Superbowl XVIII. A steal in the 11th round.
Rod Martin – LB – USC – 12th round – 1977. Probably the Raiders greatest ever late round pick, played 12 years with Oakland, had a record 3 interceptions in Superbowl XV, made 2 pro bowls, and scored 4 TD’s on interception returns in his career. Earned 2 Superbowl rings, and made that memorable 4th and 1 stop on running back John Riggins in Superbowl XVIII to finish off Washington. Martin wasn’t on the Oakland’s radar on draft weekend, but John Madden decided to draft him after a phone call from USC coach John Robinson (thanks for that John).
Skip Thomas – CB – USC – 7th round – 1972. The self style ‘Doctor Death’ was a big part of the Raider team of the 70’s, and one of the real characters on a team full of characters. Played for 6 years and was a member of the Superbowl XI winning team.
George Atkinson – S – Morris Brown – 7th round – 1968. Another personal favourite of mine, no one ever epitomised the Raider attitude more than Atkinson. He was as good a pound for pound hitter as anyone in the league, and was famous (or infamous?) for his use of the ‘hook’ when tackling opponents, often rendering them unconscious.
He had Pittsburgh’s star receiver, Lynn Swann, carried on more than one occasion. For that Chuck Knoll branded Atkinson (together with Jack Tatum) the ‘criminal element’ of the NFL, resulting in legal action from the Raiders. No one who saw the 1977 playoff game with New England could forget him quite deliberately breaking TE Russ Francis’s nose to early on ‘just let him know how things were going to be’. He might not make the NFL hall of fame, but he is in mine. 12 years with the Raiders.
Marv Hubbard – RB – Colgate – 11th round – 1968. A bruising Raiders type fullback who played 7 years and gained 4,399 yards at an excellent 4.8 yards per carry, and scored 22 TD’s. Made 3 pro bowls. Injury eventually forced his retirement, but you can’t argue with production like that from an 11th round pick.
Without a high number of picks this year, we need to get full value from every player we select. Lets hope there are a few late round gems in this draft.
Keep those e mails coming.
Dave
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