Buzz: Raiders’ Coach Not Interested in McFadden?
Everything that comes out of coaches, GMs and owners mouths just a few weeks before the draft can be smokescreen, but the latest news on Run DMC might have all you McFaddenites depressed. Has Lane Kiffin sealed his selection with the kiss of death? This according to ESPN’s Hashmarks.
Because of a surplus of running backs, including the newly re-signed Justin Fargas, Kiffin said the team likely won’t pursue Arkansas star running back Darren McFadden with the No. 4 pick. Kiffin said the team’s biggest need is at the defensive line, where Virginia defensive end Chris Long (the son of Raiders Hall of Famer Howie Long) and defensive tackles Glenn Dorsey of LSU and Sedrick Ellis of USC are possibilities.
Lane Kiffin, you’ll remember is Al Davis’ latest puppet in Oakland, and a guy who is not allowed to make decisions about his own coaching staff. The fact that he’s said McFadden isn’t a priority for them probably means that Al Davis would draft McFadden just to spite Kiffin, a guy he’s allegedly already asked to resign.
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Whether or not this is true, the Raiders would be very foolish to draft McFadden with any combination of Jake Long, Chris Long, Sedrick Ellis or Glenn Dorsey available. They have far too many problems on both their lines to use a first round pick on a RB. Especially considering that they don’t have another pick till the third round (thanks to the DeAngelo Hall trade). If they do take McFadden it will not be because any REAL football people in their front office or coaching staff advised them too. It will be all Al Davis.
“JUST WIN BABY!” – the only person left with a members only jacket.
This would normally be good news for those of us who want McFadden on the Jets. My first choice would be C.Long, but he will be gone by #6, so my next choice is MCfadden. Unfortunately, Davis is a nut who will just try to sabatoge the coach.
Their surplus of running backs = Fargas, Dominic Rhodes, Lamont Jordan and Michael Bush, passing on McFadden because of these guys would be like saying we aren’t going to focus on QB, we’ve got Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and DJ Shockley.
1) you can never believe ANYTHING that comes from a FO person before the draft, its all a smokescreen anyway
2) you certainly can’t put stock in anything Kiffin says since he has no input on personell decisions and will be lucky to still have play calling duties for the season opener IF he is still employed there.
3) you can never try to logically conclude what the outcome of a proces will be that involves Al Davis unless it involves which color leather pant suit he might choose
You have a better chance of having lunch at the Nathan’s in Coney Island with Thomas Pynchon, J.D. Salinger and Bigfoot than you do than figuring out what Al Davis and the Raiders might do at the NFL draft.
Interesting that anyone in the top 5 would rule out any of the top prospects. If your trying to fool someone into trading up to your pick, why would you discount McFadden? Wouldn’t you want to hype him up in the hopes that someone would be willing to give you a pirate’s booty for the pick? I think Kiffen is probably saying this to aggravate Al Davis more then anything.
Kiffin probably wants DMc, but all Al has done is bolster the defense to make Ryan happy. So, this is probably Kiffin’s use of reverse psychology on the old man. But, I like Fargas, Rhodes and Bush. Adding DMc would seem unlikely after spending money recently on these guys. Although, Al Davis is nuts.
I like the Jets RBs too, but that wouldn’t stop me from taking McFadden if he were there at 6.
I have to figure that Dorsey and Chris Long would both be higher on OAK’s board than DMC. But a lot of analysts are now predicting C Long to go 1 and Dorsey to go 3. In that case, I could see Crazy Al going with DMC, unless he loves Ellis. (And since his head coach is tight with Ellis from his USC days, I figure Al stays away from Sedrick out of spite.)
My best guess as of today for the top 5:
1. C Long
2. Gholston
3. Dorsey
4. DMC
5. J Long
maybe its a smoke screen so no one moves into #3 too jump ahead of OAK and take McFadden.
And maybe I DID have lunch at the Nathan’s in Coney Island with Thomas Pynchon, J.D. Salinger and Bigfoot’s second cousin Robert.
Does that count?
I think this is all a smokescreen. You can’t rule out any player weeks before the draft. While Kiffin does have a say in who the Raiders pick, it isn’t all based on his decision. Lamont Jordan will likely be released, they have Fargas who came on strong at the end of last season, Dominic Rhodes is still there, and Michael Bush could still make an impact for the Raiders. My question is if Gholston and McFadden are both there, who do the Raiders take?
As of right now my 5 picks are:
1. Chris Long
2. Glenn Dorsey
3. Jake Long or Matt Ryan
4. Gholston or McFadden
5. Jake Long if he is not taken by Atlanta
That leaves either Matt Ryan, Vernon Gholston, Darren McFadden, Sedrick Ellis, DRC, Leodis McKelvin, etc. Soon enough it will all come clearer.
The best fit for Oakland is probably Ellis, but I’m sure they would be happy with Dorsey as well. Consider them 1A and 1B, followed by Chris Long.
i personally like the raiders RB’s
i agree with seanmac on the actual fit for the raiders, but i wonder if they might not take c.long over ellis and dorsey on sentimentality.
ilan–al davis may be senile or nuts or both, but he is most definitely a “REAL” football person. he played college football at syracuse, he was a succesful head coach for the raiders in the AFL, was the commissioner of the AFL, and his raiders won one AFL championship and three superbowls (to go along with 2 losses). 5 superbowl appearances total. (and possibly a few more, but for some of the most infamous plays/games in NFL history, the tuck rule, the immaculate reception, and the game where the steelers iced the sidelines of their own field to take away the raiders passing game.) davis also was a good talent scout, regularly finding value in players other teams discarded and recognizing the coaching ability of madden, shanahan, and gruden at extremely young ages. it’s true, he is probably past the point at which he should be running an NFL franchise, and probably has been for some time, but it is simply incorrect to say that al davis isn’t a football person.
The Raiders are not interested in McDaddy and I didn’t look forward to Pamela Anderson running during Baywatch.
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