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2010 NFL Draft

8. Oakland Raiders (5-11)

ILB Rolando McClain (Alabama)  

Oakland Raiders shore up the middle linebacker position with the drafting of ILB Rolando McClain.  He was the consensus best linebacker in the draft, and will instantly help the Raiders, who are slowly becoming a force on defense.

Why he's good for the Raiders:

The Raiders already have a very good pass defense.  With the addition of Groves from Jacksonville, as well as McClain, the Raiders will have a better chance at stopping the run and rushing the passer.

2010 NFL Mock Draft

2010 NFL Mock Draft

2010 NFL Mock Draft

8. Oakland Raiders(5-11)

DE Derrick Morgan (Georgia Tech)

Despite everyone's thoughts that Al Davis will pick workout warrior Bruce Campbell out of Maryland, I believe that he will come to his senses and draft this position of need.  With veteran DE Greg Ellis on his last leg, this is a very valuable pick for the Raiders.  Morgan possesses all the traits needed to become a great player in the league, and can bring something to the Raiders defensive line from day 1.  He has a great knack for getting to the quarterback, but possesses the ability to be great in run support as well. Also, with the ability to line up in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, he is one of the more versatile lineman in the draft.   

Why he's good for the Raiders: 

Morgan is by far the most polished DE in the draft, and I think that Al Davis will make the right move here.  With DL Richard Seymour anchoring the line, look for this defense to be a lot better with the pass rushing abilities of Morgan.  The secondary is one of the top in the league, and defense wins games, so look for Davis to address this issue.  With the return of DL Coach Mike Waufle from the New York Giants, I believe that Morgan will have all the coaching needed to become a star in the league.

Peppers Ready to Bounce out of Carolina

Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers has made his thoughts known and it's obvious that he is on his way out of town.  Espn's reporter, Adam Schefter, said a few weeks ago that Peppers was not pleased with the way the Panthers were handling his contract situation.  The Panthers have not contacted Peppers about the contract, or even spoke to him about retaining his services.  Last year, Peppers was not pleased with having the franchise tag placed on him, and apparently he will get his wish this year and be able to move on.  Peppers desperately wants a long-term deal and would like to make more than the $18 million he made while under the franchise tag.  If Carolina decides to place the franchise tag on Peppers, it would cost them roughly $21.8 million.  

There are plenty of teams out there that could use his services this upcoming season, but it's a matter of who is willing to fork out the cash.  Peppers will most likely want a 4-7 year contract, and I don't really know who would want to commit that type of money to a player who would turn 37 by the end of that contract.  Peppers is no doubt going to be a huge asset to any team that signs him, but I just don't think the money that he wants is going to be there.  Look for the New England Patriots, who desperately need help with the pass rush, or even the Oakland Raiders since they love to overpay for talent. 

Top NFL Draft Prospects

7. Derrick Morgan, DE

Oakland Raiders(5-11)

As much as the Oakland Raiders need OL help in order to protect QB JaMarcus Russell, I believe Al Davis will go with a flashier pick.  Derrick Morgan is an incredibly gifted athlete at the DE position.  At 6'4 270 lbs., he is the perfect size and a great fit on a defensive line that could possibly lose their best player in Richard Seymour.  Seymour had the ability to line up at DE and DT, and even though you won't see Morgan doing the same, he will be a tremendous asset on that defensive line.  With Greg Ellis starting next season at 35 years old, the DE position will need to be upgraded immediately.  Morgan has a great variety of different moves he uses and has an explosive first step off the line.  He has shown to be a very good run stuffer as he accumulated 27 tackles for loss in two years.

Why he's good for the Raiders:

The Raiders have a very good pass defense, but they ranked 29th in the league against the run.  Morgan is a very huge presence against the run and will only help the pass defense get better. Over his three year career, Morgan accumulated over 100 tackles and 18 sacks from the end position which is a large number from that spot.  If drafted, the Raiders have the potential to secure one of their end positions for years to come.  I compare him to a Justin Tuck type player in that he has a very strong base and that he is equally good at pass rushing and run stopping. 

Cable Likely to be Fired by Raiders

According to the Bleacher Report, sources close to Oakland Raiders general partner, Al Davis, are saying that head coach Tom Cable may be fired.  After going 5-11 this season, Davis may be inclined to go another route as he often does.  The Raiders have hired a new coach five times since Jon Gruden left after the 2001 season.

I think that the Raiders have potential to be a decent team... They are missing some offense components, namely a QB, but Davis is not going to give up on JaMarcus Russell, when he is owed over $9 million next year.  Their offensive woes are what has troubled this team and kept them from contending.