OAKLAND RAIDERS
Raiders 2011 draft analysis

If and when the 2011 NFL season gets under way, Raiders fans could be watching a playoff-caliber team for the first time in nearly a decade. Last year the Silver and Black managed to interrupt seven losing seasons with an 8-8 record. This prompted pumped-up head coach Tom Cable to proclaim after an impressive season-concluding win at Kansas City, "We're not losers anymore." Unfortunately off-field issues had not endeared Cable to team owner Al Davis, and his remark was probably the final straw that led to his being removed and replaced a month later by energetic and creative offensive coordinator Hue Jackson.

The popular Jackson will inherit the makings of a Raiders team on the rise, as six rookies made major contributions last season and at least one, maybe more, that were added in this year's draft could make a difference in 2011.

Although the Raiders traded away their top pick a few years ago to obtain defensive tackle and team leader Richard Seymour, they made some good choices with the other picks, particularly at No. 2.

Historically, Davis has gravitated toward players who have been stalwarts, and former offensive-line star Steve Wisniewski, who starred for the club from the late 1980s through the Jon Gruden years (1998-2001), is one of those guys. There's an old saying, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," and it appears to be true when it comes to Oakland's top pick in the 2011 draft, Penn State guard Stefan Wisniewski, the nephew of the former Raiders great and a player who will be plugged into the starting lineup immediately. Considered one of the better linemen taken in the draft, Wisniewski could play either guard or center on a Raiders line that has been composed of mostly journeyman-type players in recent years. Wisniewski comes from a successful and smart athletic family, so his pedigree was also a major attraction. At 6 foot 3 and 313 pounds, Wisniewski has the qualities coaches crave in a big guy who plays up front. He's considered a hard-nosed player who is also a sound technician. Brains, brawn and talent are what you need up front to succeed in the tough world of the NFL, and Wisniewski appears to be a guy who has all of those qualities.

Oakland had many strong points in its everyday lineup in 2010, but the offensive line was not one of them. While Oakland's offensive-line scheme allowed running backs Darren McFadden and Michael Bush to gouge out big chunks of yardage, it had to juggle players such as Robert Gallery, Daniel Loper, Cooper Carlisle, Samson Satele, Langston Walker, rookie Jared Veldheer and others to provide an adequate wall of defense for quarterback Jason Campbell. The received wisdom in football is that all good things flow from the offensive line, and if you know your Raiders history, you know that all the great Oakland teams in years past had outstanding players manning the trenches, from Hall of Famers such as Jim Otto, Gene Upshaw and Art Shell to standouts like Don Mosebar and Wisniewski, and then in more recent years such greats as Lincoln Kennedy and Barrett Robbins.

Veldheer, who made big strides last year, started a few games at center, and could be the Raiders' new leader of the O-line with Wisniewski, Carlisle and perhaps Setele, Bruce Campbell and the veteran Walker all in the mix. Another rookie who might help on the O-line is 6-foot-4, 325-pound Joseph Barksdale of USC, one of the Raiders' two third-round picks. Barksdale is considered a prospect at right tackle, and he's a terrific athlete, but he may be a year or two away from making a major impact, according to the scouts.

With their other picks, the Raiders went for speed in third-round choice Demarcus Van Dyke, a 6-foot, 176-pound cornerback from the University of Miami, who had the fastest time at the NFL combine with a 4.28 in the 40. With their pair of fourth-round choices and their fifth-rounder, the Raiders also deferred to Davis' preference for faster athletes in cornerback Chimdi Chikwa from Ohio State, running back Taiwan Jones of Eastern Washington and wide receiver Denarius Moore from Tennessee. Chances are that none of these players with the exception of Wisniewski will make a major impact in 2011, but you never know. Last year Oakland got terrific performances out of rookies Veldheer, Rolando McClain, LeMarr Houston and Jacoby Ford, important figures in the team's resurgence.

Don't expect a major impact from the 2011 Raiders crop of rookies, although Wisniewski should provide Oakland with an important upgrade on the offensive line.