RUMORS FLY OF QUINN TO RAIDERS

[Genetic Jackhammer]

Does anyone think Culpepper may end up in Oakland?

[Return Of S&B]

from PFT this morning...I'll believe it when I see it but Russell is the kind of Quarterback that Al Davis likes.

 

 

POSTED 8:23 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 8:39 a.m. EDT, April 28, 2007

 

RUSSELL APPEARS TO BE THE GUY

 

After a relatively quiet night (even scouts and G.M.'s have to sleep), it is looking like LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell will be the No. 1 selection in the draft, and will head to the Raiders.

 

But would we be shocked if owner Al Davis has a trick or two up his sleeve? Not at all.

 

The talk as of late Friday night was that Russell will not have a contract in place before he is drafted.

 

In the rest of the top ten, the Lions are poised to select receiver Calvin Johnson (and possibly keep him). The Browns will choose between left tackle Joe Thomas and quarterback Brady Quinn. But with coach Romeo Crennel and G.M. Phil Savage close to if not already on the hot seat, we see them opting for the guy who can come in and help right now, and that guy is Thomas.

 

If Thomas is the pick at No. 3, a collective cry of "Newman!" will emanate from the Tampa Bay draft room; they want Johnson or Thomas, and could get neither. The Bucs won't take Quinn, and would likely jump on defensive end Gaines Adams in the hopes that a subsequent trade could be made with the Lions, so that Tampa can get Calvin Johnson. We also don't rule out running back Adrian Peterson, but the fact that they took Cadillac Williams with the No. 5 pick two years ago suggests that the Bucs won't tie up another huge contract in an early pick at that position.

 

At No. 5, the Cardinals could trade down with the Dolphins, so that Miami can lock up Quinn. If Arizona uses the pick, defensive tackle Amobi Okoye or Peterson could be the guy. We're leaning to Okoye.

 

The Redskins would take (we think) Adams or Okoye if they are on the board at No. 6. If not, don't he surprised to hear the name "Jamaal Anderson", a defensive end from Arkansas, who has been forgotten of late despite the kind of measurables that premier defensive ends like Dwight Freeney and Jason Taylor didn't possess when they were drafted.

 

The Vikings will jump on safety LaRon Landry with the No. 7 pick. If he's gone, the pick could be Peterson. But what about tackle Levi Brown? The Vikes have a solid left side of the line; the right side is suspect. Brown could help to provide an anchor over there.

 

At No. 8, the Falcons would likely love to get Okoye or Landry. If both are gone, we wouldn't be surprised to see the team trade down to someone who wants linebacker Patrick Willis or Quinn. If they use the pick, they might go after defensive end-defensive tackle Adam Carriker. The safest pick, though, is Brown.

 

If Brady Quinn is on the board at No. 9, the Dolphins would be stoopid not to take him. They have pissed away a pack of picks over the past seven years in an effort to nail down the heir to Dan Marino. But the only way (with a few exceptions) to get a franchise quarterback is to draft him in round one (and hope that he becomes one -- it's a 50-50 proposition). Instead of continuing to pluck passers off of someone else's garbage pile, the Fins need to pounce on Quinn, and coach him up aggressively.

 

At No. 10, we continue to believe that the Texans will go cornerback, and we have a weird feeling that they'll take Darrelle Revis from Pitt. There continue to be erroneous reports that the Texans and Broncos have worked out a flip-flop of the No. 10 and No. 21 picks. It could happen during the draft, but reports that the deal is already done are off the mark.

[MikesVikes]

Stoopid is as stoopid does.

[Kid Cid]

Al Davis is a lot of things, but he is not stoopid. Which would be exactly what he is if the Raiders took Quinn as the overall #1. I just don't see that happening.