McFadden Q&A, Part II
By Jerry McDonald - NFL Writer
Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at 3:07 pm in Oakland Raiders.
For what I believe is the first time since the Raiders returned to Oakland in 1995, the club held a day-after, on-site press conference with their first-round draft pick. Running back Darren McFadden, wearing a suit and a Raiders baseball cap, was available to answer many of the same questions he did Saturday after being the No. 4 overall pick.
McFadden: Just want to let everyone know I’m very glad to be in Oakland and very happy to be a Raider.
Q: What do you know about this team you didn’t know 24 hours ago?
McFadden: I guess that I’m a part of it now. Twenty-four hours ago I wasn’t part of a team, I was sitting back and it was a waiting process for me.
Q: When in your heart did you know this would be where you were going?
McFadden: When I was on the way to the ceremony for the draft, I got a call from coach Kiffin who said if I was still on the board he was going to take me and after the first couple of picks I was still there, I knew then I was going to be a Raider.
Q: What is it like going in knowing you won’t be the main man right away?
McFadden: It’s something I’m coming into. It’s like going into college as a freshman, you’ve got to start all over from the bottom of the totem poll and just work your way back up.
Q: JaMarcus had a lengthy holdout, how important is it for you to get in camp on time?
McFadden: For me, it’s very important. I want to be out there playing, I don’t want to be sitting back, I want to be out there learning. The more time you miss, the less chance you have of playing. I want to be out there, so I’ll let my agent take care of that and I feel like he’s going to get it done for me.
Q: Have you been out in the Bay Area before?
McFadden: My first time out was when I came out here for a visit. I had a great visit out here. Coach Rathman took me out to eat and just enjoyed it a whole lot.
Q: You are accustomed at Arkansas to sharing the load with Felix Jones, is that something appeals to you here?
McFadden: However coach wants to run it, I don’t mind if he wants to share carries or give me carries, whatever you want to do with me, it’s something I enjoy a whole lot and I’m just ready to get out there and play football.
Q: A lot of your big runs have come between the tackles, how does your speed help you there?
McFadden: I feel like my speed helps me a whole lot between the tackles. If I see a little crease I’m going to take it and I’m going to hit it full speed. It’s like, once you get past the first line of defense and you hit the secondary I don’t feel like people are going to catch up with me.
Q: There has been a lot of talk about your receiving skills at Arkansas, but they didn’t throw a lot to the running backs there. Think it’s going to take a while to get up to speed in terms of route running and getting downfield?
McFadden: No, I don’t feel like it’s going to be a problem because I feel like I’m
a very versatile player, and being able to be moved out, split out as a receiver is something that I can do. We did a little bit of it at Arkansas, not a whole lot, but it’s something I’m always willing to do.
Q: There’s a certain number of carries before a RB gets into rhythm. Is there a target number for you?
McFadden: Not at all. For me, it’s just that when you get out there, you’ve got to make the best of your chances. So I don’t need a certain number of carries or anything to get going, just try to do the best with what they give me.
Q: How do you think you and JaMarcus will complement each other?
McFadden: I got to watch him play a lot in the SEC, because I’m a big fan of football. Anytime a game is on, I try and watch it. I got to see him a lot down at LSU. Like I said, I’d much rather being with him because I remember when we played against him, the defensive tackle had him hang on his jersey, and he just flung the ball 50 yards for a completion, so I feel like it’s something that would be a great asset for the Raider nation, for me and him to be back there in the backfield.
Q: What do you bring to the table as a RB?
McFadden: I feel like my size and speed. A lot of backs may be smaller with speed, but I feel like I’m a big back with speed. I feel like I can bring back to the Raider nation a big player, but it’s something the coaches talked about
with me, they said they’re missing from their offense was the ability to make big plays.
Q: In terms of your receiving, is there a difference between coming out of the backfield or lining up as a WR?
McFadden: For me, it doesn’t matter at all. Spread out, coming out of the backfield, I feel like I have pretty good hands.
Q: When did you get in? What have you done since?
McFadden: Actually, I got in late last night. We had a long flight from New York, about close to six hours, so I got in at about 12:30 last night. We just got up this morning, ate at the hotel and came here at around 12.
Q: Intimidated about coming to a big city? Are you going to hang out with JaMarcus a little bit?
McFadden: No, I’m not intimidated at all. It’s going to be a new adjustment for me, something I’m going to have to get adapted to. I’m just ready to get here and get around the teammates, and get used to all those guys.
Q: There’s three veterans, 100-yard rushers. As a rookie, how do you try to fit in with those guys?
McFadden: For me, I’m just going in trying to learn from those guys. I know They’ve been here and they know how things work, so I’m just going in trying to learn from those guys. When the coach feels like it’s time to put
in there, I’m going to be ready.
Q: Coach Kiffin said what impressed him about you was when you were blocking on a kickoff return. Do you enjoy that part of that game as well?
McFadden: I enjoy the game of football, period, and anything that comes along with it. The blocking, going out and passing, I enjoy all of it. It’s one thing I do like. I know the play you’re talking about, was the Felix Jones
return, the kickoff return. I was blocking the safety guy for them, and hit him, knocked him down and (Jones) scored the touchdown.
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April 27th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
one
April 27th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
dos
April 27th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
tres
April 27th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
NFL.COM—-RECAP
Round 1 Darren McFadden RB 6′1″ 211 Arkansas
Pick Analysis: Arguably the most talented player in the draft, McFadden brings a big-play threat to Oakland. He will offer a compliment to quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who was the first overall pick in 2007. He has exceptional acceleration and upper body strength.
Round 4 Tyvon Branch CB 6′0″ 204 Connecticut
Pick Analysis: Branch is strong, fast and has started for four years. His measurables have been exceptional. Branch’s strong workout numbers compare to only five other players at his position and four have played in the Pro Bowl, while the fifth is a quality contributor in the NFL.
Round 4 Arman Shields WR 6′1″ 194 Richmond
Pick Analysis: Shields did not have as good a senior year as he did as a junior, but he’s still tall and he’s fast. He ran a 4.37 40 and also had impressive cone drill numbers. He’s a guy who can amass yards after the catch and make plays.
Round 6 Trevor Scott DE 6′5″ 256 Buffalo
Pick Analysis: Scott is a tall defensive end, with speed. He has great workout numbers, but his production on the field was somewhat lacking. He needs to demonstrate on the field the talent that his workout numbers indicate he could be capable of.
Round 7 Chaz Schilens WR 6′4 208 San Diego State
Pick Analysis: Schilens excites people because of his exceptional size and speed. Due to his pure athleticism, he will have a chance to make the roster. He still needs some polish as a receiver.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
quatro
April 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
big ifs; but i agree grady has to come back, and i wouldnt mind a run stuffing lb while were at it
April 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
I suck!
April 27th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
so the rest of our needs will be filled with cast-offs from other teams?
teams that drafted a player almost as good as their vet, but way younger? is it a bunch of 2 year players we are looking for? last stop before retirement?
I could live with that, get some character guys with routine around these young egos
April 27th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Our O-line will be even better this year, and if we sign Grady and Spikes or Colvin, I will be just fine with this draft. If Turd fails again this year we can get that NT in next year’s draft.
The key is getting a couple of those vets as stop-gaps for run D help.
Our run D should be better anyhow, because of:
1. Kelly replacing Sapp;
2. Wilson stopping those long runs that Stu and Huff couldn’t;
3. Hall cutting off the outside, unlike Washington;
4. Teams having to score some points against us because of our improved O.
I still have hope for 10-6 baby.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
before the draft I said I believe Sands wont let Us down this year…Now he better not =)
April 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Unbelievable. DMC said everything I was eluding to three days ago when we were debating why he should be selected with Mike Bush on the roster. I really believe he can hit the homerun regardless of rythm, I’m not sure Mike Bush can do the same. The other thing he said that I really agree with is that he just needs to hit the crease between the tackles and get to the second level. I’ve said that this is the only reason Fargas had a good season because he gets to the crease so quickly, the problem is he can’t make plays past the crease, McFadden brings a totally different dynamic once he hits the crease, such as making a LB miss and running for another 5, 10, or TD. I don’t think Fargas can do that. So yes, we didn’t NEED a RB, but it’s certainly an upgrade at the position because he will be running within a scheme that provides the crease, and nobody on this team can hit it and go the distance like he can. We need points and he should go a long way in helping us get some. Score points and the opponent has to throw, in which case I like our chances.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
We have a extremely young and possibly super explosive offense anchored by the the two greatest offensive talents to come out in the past two years.
Amazing. I bet one one of those WR’s we drafted today become Jmac’s go to guy for the next ten years.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Losing a Mother, can affect/effect you greatly, I now this from Myself, its so weird suddenly not having a Mother…
So I think that and his injury was the main reason why he disappeared last year
April 27th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I hope you are right Dakota (@ 9) …LMN you’ve said it @ 10. Man have they put a lot on confidence is Sands.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Andrews Mom…
then I think it will be Chaz Schilens
April 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Chaz it is then
April 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Dakota…
I’m less optimistic… 9-7 and I will be more than satisfied…but we need 10 wins to win the division
April 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Andrews Mom…
Deal, nice doing business with you =)
April 27th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Depth Chart
Offense
QB-JaMarcus Russell-Andrew Walter
RB-Darren McFadden-Justin Fargas/Michael Bush-Dominic Rhodes
FB-Justin Griffith-Oren O’neal
TE-Zach Miller-John Madsen
WR1-Javon Walker-Arman Shields
WR2-Ronald Curry-Johnnie Lee Higgins
WR3-Drew Carter-Chaz Schilens
LT-Kwame Harris-Mario Henderson
LG-Robert Gallery
C-John Wade-Jake Grove
RG-Cooper Carlisle
RT-Cornell Green-Paul McQuistan
Defense
LE-Derrick Burgess-Kalimba Edwards
DT-Tommy Kelly-William Joseph
NT-Terdell Sands-Gerrard Warren
RE-Jay Richardson-Trevor Scott
SLB-Robert Thomas-Sam Williams
MLB-Kirk Morrison-Ricky Brown
WLB-Thomas Howard-Jon Alston
CB1-Nnamdi Asomugha-John Bowie
CB2-Deangelo Hall-Chris Johnson
CB3-Stanford Routt
SS-Gibril Wilson-Hiram Eugene
FS-Michael Huff-Tyvon Branch
Special Teams
K-Sebastian Janikowski
P-Shane Lechler
KR-Tyvon Branch
PR-Tyvon Branch
LS-Jon Condo
April 27th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Absolutely Mrs Walter. I just get the feeling that Chaz Schilens is going to be a star.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
It will be Chaz. Just watched some highlights (granted, they are exactly that; HIGHLIGHTS) but he makes tough catches and breaks away quickly. Huge target with hands and unbelievable speed. Obviously too early to judge, but he does seem like he’s got something special about him. One thing’s for sure, Al drafted to go vertical and own field position. All of this speed that doesn’t start on O or D has to play ST’s, in which case Shane can hang one for 4.5 seconds and let these guys get 50 yards downfield during coverage, leaving the returner about 1 second to make a play. I expect our ST’s to make huge strides.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
ANdrew’s MOm is right, if one of those guys is any good it will be Chaz. Sheilds played in a powder Puff league and wont even make the team
April 27th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
great! we all agree that the 6th round is the best… why did we use the 4th? on a wr then nonetheless?
April 27th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I just wish we had a decent 3rd QB. I would like to see us take one of the following into camp:
Paul Smith TULSA
Kyle Wright MIAMI
T.C. Ostrander STANFORD
Smith is a bit WCO but is seriously under-rated. Wright has all the physical gifts but lacks the judgement (or is it maturity?). Ostrander was unlucky with injuries but has a lot of potential.
We need somebody behind JR and AW.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Scottish
I agree we need a BU QB behind AW. I’d prefer new blood as opposed to the retreads like Dilfer, Culpepper, etc.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
With a seventh round choice in the 2008 NFL Draft, The Oakland Raiders selected San Diego State WR Chaz Schilens. The 6′4″, 225-pound, Mesa, Ariz., native played in 39 career games and caught 103 passes for 1,603 yards and seven TDs.
2007: Played in eight games…caught 35 passes for 679 yards and three touchdowns.
2006: Started all 12 games at wideout … Second on the team in receptions (34) and receiving yards (483) … First in yards per catch (14.2) … Caught six passes for 67 yards with a long of 20 yards versus UTEP … Two catches, including one for 25 yards, at Wisconsin … One reception for 26 yards (season-long) against Utah … Limited to just one catch for five yards at San Jose State … Matched a then career long with a 40-yard reception at BYU, ending the afternoon with four grabs for 77 yards … First touchdown of the year on a career-long 49-yard reception against Air Force … Five receptions for 69 yards in the loss to Cal Poly … Caught a career-long 60-yard pass for a touchdown at Wyoming … Three catches versus UNLV … Failed to log a catch for the first time in the last 16 games at TCU … Rebounded with a season-high seven receptions for 56 yards at New Mexico.
2005: The team’s starting flanker, who also saw action on special teams, recording six tackles … Played in all 12 games, starting seven times … First career 100-yard receiving game at Hawai’i, logging eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown … Career-long of 41 yards in the third quarter against the Warriors … Six catches for 85 yards, including his first career TD (20 yards), at Colorado State… Also made a then career-long 22-yard catch against the Rams. .. Three catches against TCU, Ohio State and Air Force … Four catches for 42 yards at Utah … Logged his first career reception in the third quarter of the UCLA game … Ended up with a pair of catches for 25 yards versus the Bruins.
2004: Did not catch a pass as a freshman, but saw spot duty in three games.
2003: Redshirted his first year on campus.
High School: An all-region pick in Arizona as a free safety and receiver … Caught 35 passes for 648 yards … Recorded 53 tackles with six interceptions on the defensive side … Credited with four pass break-ups and caused three fumbles … Also earned four varsity letters in baseball and was an all-region selection as an outfielder … An invitee to the Arizona state all-star football game … Was drafted in the 34th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Detroit Tigers out of high school.
Personal: Born Nov. 7, 1985, in Lancaster, Calif. … Son of Tim and Kim Schilens … An anthropology major.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
We drafted players from Connecticut, Richmond, Buffalo, and San Diego State. That’s some serious diamond mining.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Scottish..
then i’m for Ostrander… of those 3
April 27th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
the bears just stole two 7th round studs
April 27th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Kevn,
Those are fool’s gold mining sites.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
i have been a loyal raider fan since the ’60s, and have never criticized al davis or lane kiffin on this or any other blog. but i have to ask: with the exception of the running back taken first, what the h@ll do the raiders expect to accomplish with this bunch? for that running back to succeed, we needed line help. this is a strange and sad draft. i am accustomed to hearing laughter eminating from the east, but now i hang my head because i have no viable answer.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
There’s going to be a lot of undrafted FA’ bouncing around out there for the next couple of days. QB’s, Linemen, Linebackers, etc. Let’s just hope our people have kept their eye on the ball and have some of these guys lined up & signed up already.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Adrian Arraington will be this years Marques Colston
April 27th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Coinman,
We expect to dominate the following event with these day 2 picks:
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=95537&rendTypeId=4
April 27th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
You might be right, Dakota, but it’s not the schools that bother me, it’s the positions.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I just hope and pray Harris and Henderson show up at OT. If they don’t we are screwed - big time.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
the rams got a hell of a player of as the last pick
April 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
We set the record today by draftin 4 mister irrelevants, lol.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
TT, you only have OL on your depth chart. What about someone like Chris Morris making the 53 man roster to provide depth at the G position. I know MQ can play G, too, but I expect him to take over RT duties before too long.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
RE#39: sorry, “EIGHT Ol on your depth chart” is what I meant to say.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Ostrander over Smith over Wright…
I dont like wright, and smith is perhaps not tall enough, but Ostrander nows whats expected of a backup, so there is not ego to handle there
April 27th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
i only listed 51 players, so there are options with the other spots
April 27th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Scott wants to be a police officer when he is done playing football. I think he may be the next Jared Allen.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I’ve got to believe that if Cable didn’t already feel he had a more than adequate answer for OLT with existing players, we’d have picked 1 or 2 prospects to find someone. The silence on this matter from the Raider drafting staff speaks volumes. If it’s not Harris, then maybe Henderson, Palmer, Wand or Wilson. I haven’t heard anything more about Newberry. Has he been signed? If not, he’d be fine at BU Center.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
I´ll see you guys in a while…lots of undrafted players worth signing…let´s get on that.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Ostrander would be the perfect backup if we go with an UDFA
April 27th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
And go take a breather….I don´t wanna come back and have to catch up with 500 posts.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
allright UDFA
erin henderson might be an option
OT’s like Phil Trautwein and Thaddeus Coleman
DT like BJ Raji
darrell robertson is still out there
April 27th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Darrell Robertson and Erin Henderson never got drafted, these are both potential starters, we better be on the phone with these guys
April 27th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Radovich didn’t get taken, Kiffin better personally make a call……….
April 27th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Bob Marley…
but its now its getting exciting
April 27th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
D-Mac Press Conference
http://www.raiders.com/home/
April 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I also like the center at USC Matt Spanos as a back-up interior lineman, Kiffin should call him up
April 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
good one, Dakota…
April 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
I hope Scott will be converted to MLB…
I think our D will be better with Howard and Morrison outside. Scott is fast, he is a sure tackler head on, he is tall a former TE so good hands in the Middle let the two fast ones cover the outside.
Get Robertson to be backup DE
April 27th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
If you guys read D-Mac Q & A II than the press conference is the same thing
April 27th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
…let the two faster ones cover the outside….
April 27th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
LMN, he’s never played MLB, he’s a beast at DE with the frame to get even bigger and even better, we’ll keep him there
April 27th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Another great draft by big al, we get macfumble to go along with lardass from last year, should have another top five pick next year.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I heard there was a buzz during Radovich’ workout at the USC proday. I’m surprised to see him go undrafted.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO HR PC-ST ERA
B Zito (L, 0-6) 3.0 7 8 8 3 1 0 66-38 7.53
giants lose 10-1
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
7 years 126 million dollars…I still am in shock the A’s didn’t try and resign him…..ha ha ha ha
April 27th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
TT…
well nice argument, but he did not play DE before he tried that, he was O before…
He would be a beast in the middle between Morrison and Howard too…
as I said earlier it probably wont happen, but I could see it.. and that he has never tried is not valid… what if he is even better there?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
there’s a reason the Raiders have been the laughing stock of the league for the last 25 years,and this draft and off season are perfect examples of why this has orrured.we draft terribly and pick up ex#1 picks who were busts with the team that drafted them thinking we can coach them up.at least we filled a need by getting ANOTHER CB-unbelievable.6 wins next season will be a miracle.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I am not sure why the Raiders drafted a CB, but one report is promising:
Bottom line: Branch is an elite athlete who is still developing, but all the physical tools are there for him to be a great NFL starting cornerback. His abilities as a kickoff return man and punt return gunner will enable him to make an impact as a rookie while he improves is coverage skills. Branch is better than most of the bigger-name corners who will be drafted ahead of him and he will turn out to be a steal for the team that does draft him.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
yuck…
baseball
April 27th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Good bye Fabion i only wish u played as big as u talked i just made 2 bets at work that we will finish 11-5
DMac seems to b all that we r hoping 4 i cant wait until mini camp ————————————————RAIDERS 4 LIFE
April 27th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Division Draft Winners
NFC East
1.Dolphins
2.Bills
3.Patriots
4.Jets
AFC North
1.Steelers
2.Bengals
3.Ravens
4.Browns
AFC South
1.Texans
2.Jaguars
3.Colts
4.Titans
AFC West
1.Chiefs
2.Raiders
3.Broncos
4.Chargers
NFL East
1.Giants
2.Eagles
3.Redskins
4.Cowboys
NFC North
1.Packers
2.Bears
3.Lions
4.Vikings
NFC South
1.Panthers
2.Saints
3.Falcons
4.Buccaneers
NFC West
1.Seahawks
2.Rams
3.Cardinals
4.49ers
I realize the idea of analyzing and grading the draft the day of is absurd but at face value the AFC produced the best team in the draft but the NFC overall had awesome classes throughout, which may result in an eventual power shift to the NFC. These grades are likely to be extremely fluid and at this point are relatively meaningless, but it’s fun to talk about, and debate…………..
April 27th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
sadly, it matters little if these new recievers play like all-pros because we’ll never know. the quarterback will be sacked before he can get the ball off. and the “great” running back will not enjoy playing on a field with no holes for him to show his “burst”. what are we thinking these days?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Tyvon Branch is not a CB…
he will be a..
1 KR, 2 PR, 3 ST-stud, 4 safety backup - then perhaps a CB backup… but he has value because he has tried it all. He saves spots on the 53man roster….Like Tyle Brayton did last year, if we had let him go we would need 3 others to fill out braytons assignments. Though we all hated him, he did us a big favor last year roster-wise…Branch will do the same just with emphasis on ST rather than D-backup as brayton was…
April 27th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Clearly a great draft,…..for the losers who hit this blog hourly, who do nothing but cry like babies,..(Madden and friends),…feel free to continue to be miserable losers who would never attend a game as that would require you to leave the house and computer…as I said, clearly a great draft,…and you complainers are clearly losers…..I would say ’see you at the coliseum’,..but, well, nevermind, you wont be there…but keep yelling at your tv`s!!!..and keep crying on blogs!!!!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
dont worry bout the running game. just the passing game and run stop game
April 27th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Coinman, our OL did a GREAT job run blocking last year, and McFadden is a perfect fit for our blocking system. McFadden will destroy every team he plays and is already the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award, which makes Russell’s job easier as well. We added Harris and Wade to te OL, who are better system fits, and Wade is one of the smartest linemen in the NFL and is great at making calls and getting the line organized, skills that are extremely valuable to a young offense. Also, the presence of more weapons means more players the defense has to account for, and thus less they can blitz. Our offense, and team as a whole, has improved dramatically this weekend, and throughout the entire offseason, and you can expect that to continue. We will be competitive this year, winning at least eight games and possibly as many as ten or eleven. There are many reasons to be optimistic right now.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Insider: nice job of mindless judgementalism. i may see you at a coming raider loss, but i’ll hardly want to greet you…
April 27th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
With the blank pick of the 2009 NFL Draft The Oakland Raiders select Tycon Jackson DE LSU
April 27th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Coinman,..dont bother,..losers like you walking around surrounded by negativity can just stay home,..you arent wanted at the coliseum.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
TT - How would you compare Schillens to Watkins? I really like Chaz’ potential, I just think we have the same guy in Watkins. What happened with Watkins that kept him from being a pro in the NFL? Oh yeah, Fitzgeral/Boldin/Johnson. Perhaps we have two potential diamonds in both of these guys for JR.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
TT: as i’ve said before, i hope you are right and i am wrong. if so, i’ll be the first to congratulate you, because we both want the same thing, and i’ll be happy too. i just don’t see it, unless we do a h@ll of a job with the remaining pool of free agents.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
watkins isn’t half as agile or explosive as schilens and schilens has much more natural hands
April 27th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Insider: so now your royal highness dictates who can go to games…
April 27th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Actually, Raider fan, the dream pick would be…….
Ladies and gentlemen there has been a trade………..The (fill in the blank) have traded the (fill in the blank) pick to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for (fill in the blank)……….and with the (fill in the blank) pick in the 2009 NFL draft……..the Oakland Raiders select…….Rey Maualuga……..Linebacker……..for USC………
April 27th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Didnt dictate,…just suggested you shouldnt bother to go if all you will do there is act like a woman and piss and moan about everything,…youve been a fan since the 60`s?…figures,..whats an old man like you doing hangin in a blog?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Now allor me to fill in the blanks…….
Ladies and gentlemen there has been a trade………..The Kansas City Chiefs have traded the 1st pick in the 2009 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for the 32nd pick and the rights to coach Rob Ryan……….and with the first pick in the 2009 NFL draft……..the Oakland Raiders select…….Rey Maualuga……..Linebacker……..from USC………
April 27th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Coinman…
have you noticed who is negative here and which ones talk about negativism… same one, weird isnt it?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dakota,
Exactly right with post #9.
Like it or not, Sands is NT this year, and we drafted his backup with our 5th round pick this year.
If it doesn’t work out, we’ll address that position, or DE with our #1 or #2 pick next year. Like Kiffin said, they were NOT going to take a NT with the #4 pick due to the $ they would have to pay.
Our 4th rd pick of Branch was at least arguably solid. A guy who can contribute this year on the all important STs? How long can we count on Cooper? And aren’t we fighting in line to drive Chris Johnson’s sorry butt to the airport?
April 27th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
La Milicia Negra: aint it the truth!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
hey man….
stop now man, look at the last many posts here, its only you piss and moan…
you piss and moan about someone being negative… wake up dude its you whom are the negative
April 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
TT…
what about laurinitititis
April 27th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Outsider: it must be grand to be you. in sole possession of ultimate truth. Socrates couldn’t hold a candle to you. i’m sure the entire nation bows to your greatness.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
82. Man, Rey? I wouldnt even need to watch or care about the rest of the draft if we get him next year. In fact, that should be a top priority.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Laurinitis cant touch Rey, not even close.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
TT,
Only problem with that is RR will be a FA!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Muahahhaha…
funny stuff… well I’m off for an hour or so, backlog check up *sigh*
April 27th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
I’ll post the best profiles on the internet for all of our picks in order………..
April 27th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
*Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Selected: Round 1, Pick 4, Overall Pick 4 by Raiders
Name: *Darren McFadden
College: Arkansas Number: 5
Height: 6-1 Weight: 211
Position: RB Pos2: KR
Class/Draft Year: Jr/2008
40 Time: 4.33 40 Low: 4.27 40 High: 4.42
Projected Round: 1 Stock: High: Top 5 Low: 8-10
Rated number 1 out of 187 RB’s 3 / 2546 TOTAL
Combine Results
Pro Day Results
Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6012
Weight: 211
40 Yrd Dash: 4.33
20 Yrd Dash: 2.53
10 Yrd Dash: 1.50 225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 33
Broad Jump: 10′08″
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
Dates: 03/25/08
Height: 6012
Weight: 211
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash: 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 13
Vertical Jump: 35 1/2
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.10
3-Cone Drill: 6.86
Before Combine: Hgt: 6020, Wgt: 210, 40YD: 4.36-4.42-4.49
Draft Scout Snapshot: 2008 Postseason update (04/04/08): Stock: Steady. Yes, he put up a great 4.33 40, 1.50 10 yd split, 10′8″ broad at 6′1.25″, 211 pounds. And at his pro day, he ran a 4.1 short shuttle and 6.86 three cone (but only 13 reps). But teams already knew about that speed, and still probably won’t pick him as high as he should go because of some off-field issues and a general belief that running backs are so exposed to injury that they are not worth the #1 contract money.
2007: Led the SEC and ranked fourth in the nation in rushing, averaging 140.77 yards per game…Set a school season-record with 1,830 yards and sixteen touchdowns on 325 carries (5.63 avg), breaking his old UA mark of 1,647 yards in 2006…Caught 21 passes for 164 yards (7.8 avg) and a score, as he also hit on 6-of-11 passes (54.5%) for 123 yards and four touchdowns…Returned sixteen kickoffs for 316 yards (19.8 avg), scored 102 points, made one solo tackle and also recovered a fumble… Led the conference and placed 12th nationally with 362 touches for a school and SEC season-record 2,310 all-purpose yards (177.69 ypg)…90 of his 325 carries produced first downs, as he converted 20-of-38 third-down runs and 2-of-3 fourth-down attempts… 107 of his 309 non-touchdown rushing attempts saw more than one defender being needed to take him down…Was tackled for a loss on 24 rushes and had 16 other carries stopped at the line of scrimmage…Produced 31 runs inside the red zone, including 23 on goal-line plays…Turned the ball over five times on fifteen fumbles…Had big runs that helped set up 30 touchdown drives and nine other series that ended with field goals…Ran for over 100 yards in ten contests. 14 GP; 14 GS; Rush: 284-1647-5.8-14; Pass: 9-7-77.8-69-3-1; Rec: 11-149-13.5-1; KR: 10-262-26.2-1; All-American RB/RS, 1st team All-SEC in ‘06. Missed time w/broken toe suffered in bar fight before just season began. 11 GP; 11 GS; Rush: 176-1113-6.3-11; Pass: 2-1-50.0-13-0-0; Rec: 14-52-3.7-0; KR: 12-348-29-0 in ‘05; most spectacular season by a Razorback freshman running back in school history.
Overview
Darren McFadden, a two-time Heisman runner-up, is regarded as one of the finest players in college football in recent years and one of the best to come out of the University of Arkansas.
The two-time Doak Walker Award winner shattered numerous school and Southeastern Conference records during his three seasons at Arkansas, establishing himself as one of the league’s elite all-time backs — Herschel Walker of Georgia, Bo Jackson of Auburn and Emmitt Smith of Florida.
McFadden was often utilized as the quarterback in the “Wildcat” formation, dominating defenses with his running and passing. He shared the backfield with another 1,000-yard rusher and first-team All-American kick returner Felix Jones, as the duo formed the most potent running back tandem in the nation, helping the Razorbacks average 286.54 yards per game on the ground in 2007.
In 38 games as a Razorback, McFadden rushed for over 100 yards 22 times. By winning the Doak Walker Award in both 2006 and ‘07, he became just the third Arkansas player to ever garner national award recognition in the 112 years of the program, joining Bud Brooks (1954 Outland Trophy) and Loyd Phillips (1966 Outland Trophy).
By gaining 1,113 yards rushing in 2005, 1,647 in ‘06 and a school-record 1,830 yards in ‘07, McFadden joined Georgia’s Herschel Walker (1980-82) as the only players in Southeastern Conference history to rush for over 1,000 yards as a freshman, sophomore and junior. He is also the second UA player to rush for 1,000 yards three times, joining Ben
Cowins (1976-78). McFadden is the first to do it in his first three seasons.
At Pulaski Oak Grove High School, McFadden became the only player from the state of Arkansas to be named to the Parade All-American team in 2004. The two-time All-State, All-Area and All-South choice was chosen the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Offensive Player of the Year as a senior and was also selected to that newspaper’s All-Arkansas squad.
McFadden was ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the nation and the top prospect in Arkansas by Rivals.com. The organization also rated him as a five-star prospect and the third-best athlete in the country. Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report rated him as the eighth-best running back in the nation. He was ranked 21st on the Mobile Register’s Super Southeast 120 listing. He was also listed 21st in The Dallas Morning News Top 100. He was among the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100 and participated in the 2005 Arkansas High School All-Star Game.
McFadden was tabbed as the Class 4A-Southeast Conference’s Outstanding Back, as he racked up 1,965 yards and 27 touchdowns on 184 carries as a senior. He averaged 10.7 yards per carry and scored three or more rushing touchdowns in six games during his final campaign. He made three receptions for 67 yards and one score. He completed 6-of-15 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns as a quarterback. He also returned nine punts for 370 yards and three touchdowns.
As a junior, McFadden rushed for a school-record 2,027 yards and 19 touchdowns on 204 carries. He averaged 9.9 yards per attempt, leading his squad to an 8-4 record and second-place finish in the Class 5-AAA Conference. He hauled in nine passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns as a junior. He also earned 103 yards on 12 punt returns. In his sophomore campaign, he rushed for 859 yards and 13 touchdowns on 109 carries. He hauled in 12 receptions for 333 yards and five scores. He also returned 10 punts for 82 yards and 14 kickoffs for 372 yards.
McFadden totaled 4,871 yards rushing on 497 attempts in his prep career and averaged 9.8 yards per carry. In addition to football, he was a standout in baseball and track and field in high school. He was also recruited by a host of other schools including Tennessee, Alabama, Nebraska, Auburn and Iowa, but decided to enroll at Arkansas after attending Houston Nutt’s Football Camp as a junior.
McFadden’s arrival at Arkansas was met with much fanfare and he certainly did not disappoint, setting school freshman rushing records with 1,113 yards and 11 scores on 176 carries (6.3-yard average) in 2005. He caught 14 passes for 52 yards, returned 12 kickoffs for 348 yards (29-yard avg) and averaged 137.5 all-purpose yards per game.
He earned All-American honorable mention from Pro Football Weekly and first-team fresh-man All-American accolades from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), College Football News, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, Scout.com and The Sporting News. He was also named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year by the Associated Press and the league’s coaches.
As a sophomore, McFadden’s rushing yardage total of 1,647 on 284 attempts (5.8-yard average) was more than that of 54 of the 119 Division I-A teams (45.4%), while his 14 rushing touchdowns were better than 43 teams nationally (36.1%). The consensus All-American was the recipient of the Doak Walker Award and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy. He also had 11 receptions for 149 yards (13.5-yard average) and a score while completing 7-of-9 passes (77.8%) for 69 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 26.2 yards with a score on ten kickoff returns and 147 all-purpose yards, scoring 98 points. He also rushed for over 100 yards eight times.
McFadden had an up-and-down junior campaign, but still garnered consensus All-American honors while again winning the Doak Walker Award and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy race. He gained over 100 yards rushing 10 times, as he broke his own school record with 1,830 yards and 16 touchdowns on 325 rushes (5.6-yard average). However, he did fumble the ball 15 times, with the opposition recovering five of them. He had 21 catches for 164 yards (7.8-yard average) and a score, hit on 6-of-11 throws (54.5%) for 123 yards and four touchdowns, scoring 102 points. He finished the season with 102 points scored and gained 2,310 all-purpose yards, an average of 177.69 yards per game.
In 38 games at Arkansas, McFadden carried 785 times for 4,590 yards (5.85-yard average) and 41 touchdowns. He grabbed 46 passes for 365 yards (7.9 avg) and two scores, as he also returned 38 kickoffs for 926 yards (24.4 avg) and a touchdown. He completed 14-of-22 passes (63.6%) for 205 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception while recording five solo tackles with a fumble recovery.
McFadden totaled 268 points with 44 overall touchdowns and amassed 5,881 all-purpose yards (154.76 yards per game). He ran for 100 or more yards in 22 games, but had 23 fumbles, losing nine.
Analysis
Positives: Has a solid, thick build with tapered thighs and calves, athletic physique with a tight waist and hips, low body fat and defined upper body…Has the quick feet and balance to pick his way through trash, doing a nice job of staying upright to power through the initial tackle…Has the pick-and-slide agility to make defenders miss, showing outstanding acceleration and flexibility when changing direction…He has that rare speed and explosive second gear to be very elusive getting through traffic, thanks to sharp lateral cuts…Plays with good toughness, lowering his head and driving hard with his legs after contact…Can bounce off tackles and gives good second effort when his initial move fails…Willing blocker who shows the ability to pick up blitzes and will chip defenders with good intent and purpose…Has the field vision and awareness to find the open crease and excels at anticipating cutback lanes…Looks natural with the ball in his hands, as he is a threat running, throwing or catching the ball, but did have ball-security issues as a junior…Understands blocking schemes but will out-run his protection at times…Highly respected by the staff and teammates, demonstrating a solid work ethic…Might not be able to always push the pile, but has the functional lower-body strength to stay up, bounce off and execute his lateral range with good quickness…Has that initial step needed to accelerate and get to top speed quickly and clear the holes…Gets a quick start, as seen in the way he demonstrates crisp cutting ability and is the type that doesn’t need to gear down when changing direction…When he shows patience running with the ball, he has the extra burst to get through trash…He gets off the snap smoothly, thanks to his suddenness coming out of his stance…Has natural running instincts, showing a very nice feel for the rush lanes, as he anticipates openings and has made marked improvement in using his vision to set up his blocks…His vision allows him to see threats well and play the hand that he is dealt (see 2007 Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina and Louisiana State games)…Has the feet to sidestep trash and the body control to slide through holes, doing a nice job of bursting through tight seams…With his superb balance, he is very smooth when changing direction, showing a sudden burst out of his cuts…Lowers his head and squares his shoulders to compete for extra yards after contact…Has the speed to get outside, make the cut and turn it up the field, as he uses quick footsteps when running in-line…Maintains acceleration bursting past the line of scrimmage and is more than just a one-cut runner…His acceleration allows him to separate and his body controls allows him to maintain balance throughout his runs…Makes quick decisions, especially on the jump-cut…Has outstanding lateral range to slip off tackles in the open…Has the speed to get downfield in a hurry on pass routes and is fluid and quick getting into his patterns…Understands coverage and where he fits catching underneath throws…Does a good job of reaching and plucking the ball, especially on screens…Natural hands catcher who can snatch the ball outside his frame work…Will take on the blitz and has developed good cut-blocking skills…Will not hesitate to face up and stone the opponent blocking in-line…Very easy for him to change direction with his balance and plant-and-drive agility.
Negatives: Has very good field vision, but needs to show more patience waiting for his blocks to develop (will out-run his protection, at times)…Strong open-field runner, but needs to develop better ball security and protect the ball closer to his body, as fumble issues posed a big problem in 2007 (15 fumbles, five turnovers, see Chattanooga, Troy, Florida International and Louisiana State games)…Has good inside running skills, but must improve his lower-body strength…Will sometimes get upright in his stance, allowing defenders to clog the rush lanes (see 2007 Chattanooga, Auburn, Mississippi State and Louisiana State games)…Protects the ball well in traffic, but most of his turnovers come on improper ball distribution in the open…Also has a high amount of fumbles fielding the kickoff, as he tends to run before securing the ball…Was hurt in an off-field fight in July, 2006, undergoing surgery to repair a left toe fracture…Has natural hands as a receiver, but needs to improve extending for the pass away from his frame…Sometimes drifts in his routes and needs to show better cutting ability on his breaks.
Compares To: MARSHALL FAULK-ex-St. Louis…McFadden is a stronger runner than Faulk, but both are blessed with exception vision, using pitter-patter feet to get through trash and the “home run” acceleration to separate from defenders past the line of scrimmage. He is an efficient receiver out of the backfield, running precise routes and could even be split wide. He has the arm strength to throw the option pass and can also earn playing time as a kickoff returner, but needs to work on ball-security issues after he had 15 fumbles in 2007, many of them on special teams. He is certainly the best athlete eligible for the 2008 draft and has an array of weapons that will make any offensive coordinator drool. In an imaginative offense, he could be a regular participant in the Pro Bowl.
Career Notes
McFadden’s 785 rushing attempts set a school record, topping the previous mark of 635 by Ben Cowins (1975-78)…Only Herschel Walker of Georgia (994, 1980-82), Dalton Hilliard of Louisiana State (882, 1982-85), Errict Rhett of Florida (873, 1990-93), Kevin Faulk of Louisiana State (856, 1995-98) and Charles Alexander of Louisiana State (855, 1975-78) had more carries than McFadden in Southeastern Conference history…His 325 runs in 2007 set the school’s single-season record, topping the old mark of 307 by Madre Hill in 1995…McFadden’s 4,590 yards rushing shattered Ben Cowins’ (1975-78) previous school all-time record of 3,570 yards and rank second in conference annals behind Herschel Walker of Georgia (5,259 in 33 games, 1980-82)…His average of 120.79 yards per game rushing placed him third on the SEC’s career-record list behind Walker (159.36 yards per game) and Emmitt Smith of Florida (126.71 ypg, 1987-89)…His 1,830 yards in 2007 and 1,647 yards in 2006 both broke the previous Arkansas season record of 1,387 yards by Madre Hill in 1995… His 2007 total of 1,830 yards on the ground are surpassed only by Walker’s 1,891 yards (1981) on the SEC single-season list…Ran for 41 touchdowns during his career, second in school history behind Bill Burnett’s 46 scoring runs (1968-70)…Joined Herschel Walker (49, 1980-82), Kevin Faulk (46, 1995-98), Carnell Williams of Auburn (45, 2001-04), Dalton Hilliard (44, 1982-85), Bo Jackson of Auburn (43, 1982-85), Shaun Alexander of Alabama (41, 1996-99) and Charles Alexander (40, 1975-78) as the only players in SEC history to run for 40 or more touchdowns in a career…His 16 touchdown runs in 2007 tied Bobby Burnett (1965) for third on the school’s single-season list, topped only by Bill Burnett (19 in 1969) and James Rouse (17 in 1987)…His 14 rushing touchdowns tied for seventh on the Arkansas annual record list…McFadden’s four touchdowns rushing vs. Florida International in 2007 were the most by an Arkansas player in a game since Madre Hill scored six times vs. South Carolina in 1995…His 22 100-yard rushing performances broke the previous school record of 16 by Ben Cowins (1975-78)…McFadden’s 5,881 all-purpose yards shattered the old school all-time record of 4,535 yards by Gary Anderson (1979-82) and rank second in Southeastern Conference history behind Kevin Faulk of Louisiana State (6,883 yards, 1995-98)…His 2,310 all-purpose yards in 2007 broke his own school season-record of 2,058 in 2006 (previous record before 2006 was 1,604 yards by Dickey Morton in 1973)…His 2007 total of 2,310 all-purpose yards surpassed the old conference record of 2,120 yards by Domanick Davis of Louisiana State in 2002…His 355 all-purpose yards vs. South Carolina in 2007 set a school record, breaking his own previous mark of 315 yards vs. South Carolina in 2006 (record before his 2006 performance was 293 yards by Harry Jones vs. Oklahoma State in 1965)…Both McFadden and Felix Jones combined for 487 yards rushing in the 2007 South Carolina clash, breaking the old NCAA record of 476 yards by Kansas’ Tony Sands (396) and Chip Hilleary (80) vs. Missouri in 1991…His 355 all-purpose yards vs. South Carolina in 2007 rank fourth on the SEC’s list behind Moe Williams of Kentucky (429 vs. South Carolina in 1995), Kevin Faulk of Louisiana State (376 vs. Houston in 1996) and Rafael Little of Kentucky (372 vs. Vanderbilt in 2005)…McFadden’s 321 yards rushing vs. South Carolina in 2007 topped the old school record of 271 by Dickey Morton vs. Baylor in 1973 and tied the conference mark that was first set by Frank Mordica of Vanderbilt vs. Air Force in 1978…He is the first sophomore to win the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) and, by winning in 2006 and in ‘07, he joined Ricky Williams of Texas (1997-98) as the only player to win that honor twice… Was the first player to twice finish second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy (2006-07)…McFadden (1,647 yards in 2006 and 1,830 in 2007) and Felix Jones (1,168 in 2006 and 1,162 in ‘07) became the first teammates in SEC history to run for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and the third tandem to accomplish that feat in one campaign, joining Auburn’s James Brooks and Joe Cribbs (1979), and Tennessee’s Gerald Riggs Jr. and Cedric Houston (2004)…The only other NCAA tandem to have back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons was Minnesota’s Marion Barber III and Laurence Maroney (2003-04).
2007 Season
Consensus All-American and unanimous All-Southeastern Conference first-team choice…Finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy and won the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) for the second straight year…Earned National Player of the Year honors from the Walter Camp Foundation and The Sporting News…Chosen SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches…His 80-yard touchdown run vs. South Carolina was a finalist for ESPN’s Play of the Year…Finalist for the Maxwell Award…Named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week (South Carolina), AT&T National Player of the Week (South Carolina), SEC Offensive Player of the Week (South Carolina and Louisiana State) and Hogwired.com Offensive Player of the Week (Alabama, South Carolina and LSU)…Led the SEC and ranked fourth in the nation in rushing, averaging 140.77 yards per game…Set a school record with 1,830 yards and 16 touchdowns on 325 carries (5.63-yard average), breaking his old UA mark of 1,647 yards in 2006…Caught 21 passes for 164 yards (7.8 avg) and a score, as he also hit on 6-of-11 passes (54.5%) for 123 yards and four touchdowns…Returned 16 kickoffs for 316 yards (19.8 avg), scored 102 points, made one solo tackle and also recovered a fumble… Led the conference and placed 12th nationally with 362 touches for a school and SEC single-season record 2,310 all-purpose yards (177.69 ypg)…90 of his 325 carries produced first downs, as he converted 20-of-38 third-down runs and 2-of-3 fourth-down attempts…On 107 of his 309 non-touchdown rushing attempts, more than one defender was needed to take down McFadden…Was tackled for a loss on 24 rushes and had 16 other carries stopped at the line of scrimmage…Produced 31 runs inside the red zone, including 23 on goal-line plays…Turned the ball over five times on 15 fumbles…Had big runs that helped set up 30 touchdown drives and nine other series that ended with field goals…Ran for over 100 yards in 10 games…His five consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts to start the season tied the school record that was first set by Jerry Eckwood in 1975.
2007 Game Analysis
2006 Season
Earned All-American first-team honors as an all-purpose runner from The NFL Draft Report and the American Football Coaches Association…Also garnered first-team national honors from CBS SportsLine, Associated Press, Pro Football Weekly, Scout.com and Rivals.com…All-Southeastern Conference first-team choice and named SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the league’s coaches and Associated Press…Winner of the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy…Finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and was named Little Rock Touchdown Club National Player of the Year, SEC Player of the Year and SEC Offensive Player of the Year…Chosen USA Today National Player of the Week vs. Auburn and Tennessee…Named Cingular All-American Player of the Week vs. South Carolina and Tennessee…Named The Sporting News radio college football Player of the Week vs. Tennessee and SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week vs. Louisiana State…Earned Hogwired.com Offensive Player of the Week vs. Utah State, Auburn, South Carolina, Mississippi State and Louisiana State…Started all 14 games, lining up at tailback in 12 contests and at flanker vs. Troy and Florida…Led the SEC and ranked 10th in the nation in rushing, averaging 117.64 yards per game…Finished third in the league with an average of seven points scored per game and paced the conference while ranking sixth nationally with an average of 147.0 all-purpose yards per game…Set a then-school record (McFadden re-wrote the record in 2007) with 1,647 yards on 284 carries (5.8-yard average) with 14 touchdowns…Caught 11 passes for 149 yards (13.5 avg) and a score, adding 262 yards and a touchdown on 10 kickoff returns (26.2 avg)…Scored 98 points and recorded three solo tackles…Set a single-season record with 2,058 all-purpose yards, the sixth-best season total in SEC annals…Ran for over 100 yards in eight contests…Turned the ball over twice on four fumbles…Became just the third player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
2006 Game Analysis
2005 Season
Honorable mention All-American by Pro Football Weekly…Earned first-team freshman All-American honors from The NFL Draft Report, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), College Football News, ESPN.com, Rivals.com, Scout.com and The Sporting News….Named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year by the Associated Press, the league’s coaches and College Football News.com…Consensus All-SEC first-team choice…Named by ESPN.com as the SEC’s Newcomer of the Year…Voted UA’s MVP by the Little Rock Touchdown Club…Won the SEC Freshman of the Week award twice and the Rivals.com National Freshman of the Week once…Named the Hogwired.com Offensive Player of the Week six times on the season…Became just the seventh freshman in league history to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark in his first season, joining Herschel Walker (Georgia), Emmitt Smith (Florida), Reggie Cobb (Tennessee), Chuck Webb (Tennessee), Jamal Lewis (Tennessee) and Justin Vincent (Louisiana State)…His 1,113 yards on 176 carries (6.3-yard average) with 11 touchdowns was the sixth-best freshman rushing total in SEC history…Ranked fourth in the conference with an average of 101.18 yards per game on the ground…Caught 14 passes for 52 yards (3.7-yard average) and completed 1-of-2 throws for 13 yards…Returned 12 kickoffs for 348 yards (29.0 avg) and recorded one solo tackle… Ranked second in the SEC with an average of 137.55 all-purpose yards per game…Ran for over 100 yards vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina and Mississippi State…Turned the ball over twice on four fumbles.
2005 Game Analysis
Injury Report
2006: Suffered a dislocated left toe that required surgery on July 30 to have a pin inserted. He received the injury as an outcome from a fight he was involved in outside a Little Rock, Arkansas, night club. A day after having a pin removed from the big toe on his left foot, the sophomore said the pain is worse than he expected. “I’m always going to say that I can (play), but realistically I don’t know,” McFadden said. Before the pin was removed, McFadden had tried to stay positive about the possibility of him playing against USC on national TV. But he admits it has only been a few days since the severity of his toe injury started to “sink in.”…Played vs. Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl (1/01/07) with a left ankle and Achilles tendon sprain.
2007: Left the Alabama game (9/15) in the fourth quarter after he suffered a slight concussion…Played throughout the Kentucky clash (9/22) while battling with a stomach virus…Suffered rib and chest bruises on his final carry in the Chattanooga game (10/22). A CT scan after the game revealed only bruises and no rib fractures.
Agility Tests
Campus: 4.41 in the 40-yard dash…330-pound bench press…325-pound power clean…33-inch vertical jump…10′0″ broad jump…32 1/4-inch arm length…9 3/8-inch hands.
High School
Attended Pulaski Oak Grove (Little Rock, Ark.) High School, playing football for head coach John Mayes…Became the only player from the state of Arkansas to be named to the Parade All-American team in 2004…Two-time All-State, All-Area and All-South choice…Was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Offensive Player of the Year as a senior and was selected to that newspaper’s All-Arkansas squad…Ranked as the No. 23 prospect in the nation and the top prospect in Arkansas by Rivals.com (Rivals also rated him as a five-star prospect and the third-best athlete in the country)…Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report rated him as the eighth-best running back in the nation…Ranked 21st on the Mobile Register’s Super Southeast 120 listing…Listed 21st in The Dallas Morning News Top 100…Among the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100 and participated in the 2005 Arkansas High School All-Star Game…Tabbed as the Class 4A-Southeast Conference’s Outstanding Back, as he racked up 1,965 yards and 27 touchdowns on 184 carries as a senior…Averaged 10.7 yards per carry and scored three or more rushing touchdowns in six games during his final campaign…Also made three receptions for 67 yards and one score, completed 6-of-15 passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns as a quarterback and returned nine punts for 370 yards and three touchdowns…As a junior, he rushed for a school-record 2,027 yards and 19 touchdowns on 204 carries…Averaged 9.9 yards per attempt, leading his squad to an 8-4 record and second-place finish in the Class 5-AAA Conference…Hauled in nine passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns as a junior and also earned 103 yards on 12 punt returns…In his sophomore campaign, he rushed for 859 yards and 13 touchdowns on 109 carries…Hauled in 12 receptions for 333 yards and five scores, returned 10 punts for 82 yards and 14 kickoffs for 372 yards…Totaled 4,871 yards rushing on 497 attempts in his prep career and averaged 9.8 yards per carry…In addition to football, he was a standout in baseball and track and field.
Personal
Kinesiology major, with an emphasis on teaching, and is enrolled in the College of Education and Health Professions…Named to the Lon Farrell Academic Honor Roll for Fall 2006 and was also named a Hard Working Hog for the 2005-06 academic year…Attended Houston Nutt’s Football Camp during his high school days…Son of Mini Muhammad and Graylon McFadden…Born 8/27/87…Resides in Little Rock, Arkansas.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Well, yet another solid draft by Big AL. Hopefully D-MAC is everything we all hope he will be. Although we didn’t have that many draft selections being so active in FA, it was like we had our draft already except for adding D-MAC. Good job Raiders!!
April 27th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Tyvon Branch, CB, Connecticut
Selected: Round 4, Pick 1, Overall Pick 100 by Raiders
Name: Tyvon Branch
College: Connecticut Number: 29
Height: 6-0 Weight: 204
Position: CB Pos2: FS/KR
Class/Draft Year: Sr/2008
40 Time: 4.31 40 Low: 4.26 40 High: 4.39
Projected Round: 2-3 Stock: High: Late 2 Low: Mid 4
Rated number 11 out of 241 CB’s 77 / 2546 TOTAL
Combine Results
Pro Day Results
Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 5113
Weight: 204
40 Yrd Dash: 4.31
20 Yrd Dash: 2.49
10 Yrd Dash: 1.43 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 19
Vertical Jump: 34
Broad Jump: 10′00″
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.40
3-Cone Drill:
Dates: 03/06/08 03/26/08
Height: 5113
Weight: 204
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash: 225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 38
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
Before Combine: Hgt: 5113, Wgt: 198, 40YD: 4.38-4.45-4.54
Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 08/12/07: #39 CB, #440/750 Overall, Projected: PFA
2008 Postseason update (04/04/08): Stock: Up. Continued his senior season rise with a good Hula Bowl week and an excellent Combine. At 5′11″+, he ran 4.31 and put up 19 reps. Had a 38″ vertical at his pro day.
12 GP; 11 GS; 79 TT, 4 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 2 FF in ‘06. 11 GP; 5 GS; 43 TT, 0.5 TFL, 0.5 SK, 2 INT, 4 PBU, 1 FF in ‘05. 12 GP; 1 GS; KR 10-200-20.0-0; 20 TT in ‘04.
Overview
Branch possesses exceptional range and good ball skills in the secondary, but he made a name for himself as a kickoff returner in 2007, establishing school records while leading the Big East Conference with an average of 28.89 yards per return. Regarded as the fastest cornerback in college football, his ability to compete for the ball in flight and make plays in run support could see him shift to free safety at the next level.
The only Connecticut player to ever return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season, Branch was the most experienced defensive back on the squad last year. Since taking over right cornerback duties as a junior, he has grown into his leadership role and the staff feels he could one day make an ideal coach, as he makes the extra effort to mentor and work out with the team’s younger players.
Branch attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School, where he earned second-team All-State, All-Central New York and All-Area honors as a tailback and outside linebacker for the Northstars. He also excelled in track, and was the recipient of the Gatorade New York State Track Athlete of the Year Award after winning the 2004 National Indoor Track Championship in the 60 meters (6.82). He finished first in the state in both the 100 and 200 meters as a senior, setting a school record with a 10.60-second clocking in the 100-meter dash.
Branch was expected to accept a scholarship to local Syracuse, but opted to enroll at Connecticut instead. He played mostly on special teams in 2004, but became the only true freshman to start a game that year, taking over left cornerback duties for the Georgia Tech game. He recorded at least one tackle in every game, except vs. Pittsburgh, finishing with 20 tackles (12 solos) while averaging 20.0 yards on ten kickoff returns.
In May, 2005, Branch was one of five Connecticut football players arrested after an incident in which the window of a motor vehicle was shot out. The driver’s-side window of a vehicle driven by a 55-year-old woman was shot out by a pellet gun as two vehicles passed each other in a parking lot, and the suspects fled the scene in a white sport utility vehicle, the police said. A few minutes later, the police located the suspects and the vehicle. They were all charged with possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and released after posting $750 bond.
Branch spent the first part of the 2005 campaign playing in reserve. He took over right cornerback duties at midseason, starting the final five games and his next 30 contests in the lineup. He produced 42 tackles (21 solos) with an assisted sack, four pass break-ups and two interceptions. His play in the secondary helped the team rank sixth in the nation in total defense, allowing just 297.18 yards per game.
In 2006, Branch registered 79 tackles (47 solos) with four stops behind the line of scrimmage for the Big East Conference’s second-ranked secondary that gave up 178.5 yards per game. He caused and recovered two fumbles, broke up four passes and also picked off another.
Even though he led the Big East and ranked 13th nationally with an average of 28.89 yards per kickoff return, scoring twice, Branch was only named a second-team All-Conference choice in 2007. He gained 780 yards on 27 attempts, as his two touchdown returns set season and career records at Connecticut. He ranked fifth on the team with a career-high 89 tackles (53 solos), including three stops for losses, a forced fumble and 10 pass deflections.
In 48 games at Connecticut, Branch started 31 contests. He recorded 224 tackles (133 solos) with an assisted sack for minus-4 yards and 7.5 stops for losses of 32 yards. He caused three fumbles and recovered two others, advancing one 8 yards. He posted 18 pass deflections and three interceptions for 15 yards in returns. He also returned 37 kickoffs for 980 yards (26.5 avg) and a pair of touchdowns.
Analysis
Positives: Has a lean frame, but generates good power behind his hits and has the hand strength to be effective in press coverage…Has more of a sprinter’s build, with tapered muscles and will need to add more bulk for a potential shift to safety at the next level, but only if it does not affect his timed speed…Has exceptional range to make plays at the opposite end of the field and very good ball skills, showing good urgency closing on the play and is rarely caught out of position…Physical and aggressive taking on lead blockers to impact the rush lanes…Tireless worker who the staff says is always the first player in the office to pick up the scouting report on his upcoming opponent…Spends his spare time watching game films and has taken well to his leadership role…Needs to translate that work ethic to the weight room (has natural strength, but is not a fan of lifting), but will do what the coaches ask…In addition to his excellence as a kickoff returner, he has the speed and desire to get downfield in a hurry as a gunner on the punt coverage unit…Is smart enough to be in charge of making the check-down calls in the secondary and does a fine job of reading route combinations and acting accordingly…Even when he locks on and runs with his man, he keeps his head on a swivel to scan the field (likes to be aware of his surroundings)…Physical with his hand punch in attempts to press and reroute and has enough ability to shadow a wide receiver…Not the type to peek into the backfield or gamble much and despite marginal hips, he can stick with receivers on double moves…Breaks on the ball quickly and has the leaping ability to high point the ball…Best when playing the ball in front of him and is very alert with his eyes scanning the field…Has the sustained speed to pursue plays from across the field…Shows good body adjustment skills to get to off-target throws…Will not hesitate to battle bigger opponents in jump-ball situations…Stays low in his pads and scans the field nicely when serving as the primary support defender vs. the run…Active and willing to make plays in the backfield, using his hands well to shed and avoid on the move…Solid open-field tackler who stays low in his pads and drives with his legs in attempts to push the defender back…Stronger than his frame looks, using a good punch to come off blocks and make the play…Face-up, wrap-up tackler who looks fearless when having to make plays at the line of scrimmage.
Negatives: Can get to the thrown ball at its high point, but lacks ideal arm length and has very small hands…Not athletic enough to be a quality cover cornerback and might be a better fit at free safety due to poor backpedal technique and tight hips in transition…Too rigid in his movements because of his hip issues, looking sluggish when having to change direction (4.4 20-yard shuttle time was the third-worst of all cornerbacks at the Combine)…Underachieves in the classroom, but the staff feels he is perfectly capable of handling the mental aspect of the pro game (has lazy classroom habits)…Has good football character, but there was a minor off-field incident that needs further clarification and he does not like being challenged by hard coaching…Better playing the ball than in man coverage due to his marginal backpedal mechanics (gets too tall in his stance and fails to open his hips when transitioning)…Sometimes loses sight of the ball on deep routes and makes most of his big plays when facing the quarterback…Has just adequate hands to secure the ball on interceptions (traps them or lets them into his body rather than extend), resulting in more pass break-ups than pass thefts due to his inability to catch the ball outside his frame-work…Generally a good face-up tackler, but when he takes a side, he does not have the hand/arm strength to drag the ballcarriers down…Because of his marginal hip snap, he will need to bulk up for a possible move to safety, but the additional weight could impact his best asset — speed.
Compares To: EUGENE WILSON-Tampa Bay…Like the former New England defender, Branch has exceptional speed, but it is sometimes negated by his inability to open his hips and come out of his breaks cleanly and with suddenness. He might be a better fit at free safety, where he can freelance and attack the ball in off coverage. His struggles on deep routes are due to an inability to change direction and get back on the route quick enough. He has valid closing speed to make plays in run force, shows good hand technique in press coverage and has developed into a quality kickoff returner. If he can add bulk for a potential shift to safety, a team will get better value from him there than when isolated one-on-one with the receiver in man coverage.
Career Notes
Branch ranks tied for ninth with Billy DiYeso (1966-68) and Dave Korponai (1961-63) on the school career-record list with 37 kickoff returns…He is the only player in school history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season (2007) and a career…His two scores tied the Big East Conference season-record that he shares with Lew Lawhorn of Temple (1992), Kevin Johnson of Syracuse (1997 and 1998), Nate Terry of West Virginia (1997), Shawn Terry of West Virginia (2000) and Nate Jones of Rutgers (2002)…His 980 yards on kickoff returns placed seventh on UConn’s all-time record chart…His career average of 26.49 yards per kickoff return broke the old school career-record of 26.1 yards by George Boothe (1986-88)…His 27 kickoff returns in 2007 rank fifth on Connecticut’s season-record list behind Tory Taylor (41, 1998), Jordan Younger (38, 1999), Carl Bradford (34, 2000) and Joe Markus (30, 1981)…His 780 yards on kickoff returns in 2007 rank second on the school season-record chart, topped only by Tory Taylor’s 849 yards in 1998…That total ranks fifth on the Big East Conference season-record books behind Will Blackmon of Boston College (922 yards, 2003), Adam Jones of West Virginia (867, 2003), Darius Reynaud of West Virginia (813, 2006) and Terrell Willis of Rutgers (813, 1995)…His average of 28.9 yards per kickoff return in 2007 broke the old school season-record average of 28.5 by Boothe in 1987…Only Mike Imoh of Virginia Tech (18 for 549, 30.5 avg, 2003), Johnson (23 for 690, 30.0 avg, 1998) and Lew Lawhorn of Temple (20 for 600, 30.0 avg, 1992) had better averages in a season in Big East annals…Gained 184 yards on kickoff returns vs. Rutgers in 2007, breaking the old school game-record of 165 yards by Boothe vs. Maine in 1986…His 184 yards rank sixth on the Big East game-record board…Returned seven kickoffs vs. West Virginia in 2007, the second-highest game total in Big East history (Dietrich Jells of Pittsburgh had eight vs. Virginia Tech in 1993)…His 97-yard kickoff returns vs. both Akron and Rutgers in 2007 tied Larry Taylor (vs. Temple in 2004) for the fifth-longest kickoff return in school history.
2007 Season
Duke…Opened the season with five tackles (3 solos), as he deflected a pass and had a 29-yard kickoff return…Caused a fumble when he stripped the ball from Leon Wright on a third quarter punt return for a 6-yard loss, but Duke recovered it.
Maine…Limited to a solo tackles and a 20-yard kickoff return.
Temple…Gained 49 yards on two kickoff returns, broke up a pass and made five tackles while assisting on a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage, including one that stopped tailback Travis Smith for a 4-yard loss on a run near midfield late in the first quarter…His second quarter 43-yard kickoff return resulted in a Connecticut 24-yard field goal.
Pittsburgh…Registered six tackles (4 solos), including a pair of third-down stops and also deflected a pass.
Akron…Amassed 150 yards on three kickoff returns, including a 97-yarder for a touch-down late in the second quarter…Also collected six tackles (5 solos).
Virginia…Followed with five tackles (3 solos), two pass deflections and 47 yards on a pait of kickoff returns.
Louisville…Credited with a nine-tackle (6 solos) performance.
South Florida…Produced six tackles (4 solos), including one that leveled Jamar Taylor for a 2-yard loss on a rushing attempt at the start of the fourth quarter…Added a 27-yard kick-
Off return and two pass deflections, including one on a Matt Grothe third-&-5, forcing USF to punt at the start of the second half.
Rutgers…Set several school records, including 184 yards on four kickoff returns with a 97-yarder for a touchdown in the second quarter…Along with his 97-yarder earlier in the year vs. Akron, he is the only player in school history to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in the same season and the only one to score twice via that avenue in a career…Also was in on thirteen tackles (6 solos) while breaking up one pass.
Cincinnati…Returned three kickoffs for 72 yards and delivered eight tackles (5 solos), including a pair of third-down stops.
Syracuse…Registered another eight tackles (3 solos) while breaking up one pass.
West Virginia…Totaled 93 yards on seven kickoff returns and made seven tackles (5 solos).
Wake Forest (Meineke Car Care Bowl)…Branch closed out his career with 109 yards on three kickoff returns, a pass deflection and ten tackles (8 solos), including one that stopped tailback Josh Adams for a 2-yard loss near midfield midway through the first quarter.
2006 Season
Started all twelve games at right cornerback, calling signals for a secondary that ranked second in the Big East Conference and 25th nationally, allowing 178.5 yards per game passing…Registered 79 tackles (47 solos) with four stops for losses of 21 yards…Caused two fumbles and recovered two others, returning one 8 yards…Picked off one pass and had four pass deflections.
2006 Game Analysis
2005 Season
Played in eleven games, starting the final five contests at right cornerback…Produced 42 tackles (21 solos) with an assisted sack for a 4-yard loss, two interceptions for 15 yards in returns and four pass deflections.
2005 Game Analysis
2004 Season
Played in 12 games, seeing action mostly on special teams, as he returned ten kickoffs for 200 yards (20.0 avg)…Recorded 20 tackles (12 solos) and was the only true freshman in the starting lineup for any games in 2004, when he started the Georgia Tech contest at left cornerback.
2004 Game Analysis
Off-field Issues
On Sunday, May 8, 2005, five University of Connecticut players were arrested in Willimantic, Conn., after an incident in which the window of a motor vehicle was shot out. The driver’s-side window of a vehicle driven by a 55-year-old woman was shot out by a pellet gun as two vehicles passed each other in a parking lot, and the suspects fled the scene in a white sport utility vehicle, the police said. A few minutes later, the police located the suspects and the vehicle.
Donta Moore, a junior free safety, was charged with possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree assault and unlawful discharge of a firearm. He was released after posting $1,000 bond. Also arrested were Tyvon Branch, a sophomore free safety; Daniel Davis, a sophomore defensive end; Daniel Lansanah, a sophomore linebacker; and Marvin Taylor, 20, a sophomore free safety.
They were all charged with possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and released after posting $750 bond.
Injury Report
No injuries reported.
Agility Tests
Campus: 4.4 in the 40-yard dash…308-pound bench press…438-pound squat…270-pound power clean…35-inch vertical jump…29 7/8-inch arm length…8 3/8-inch hands…Right-handed… 24/30 Wonderlic score.
Combine: 4.31 in the 40-yard dash…1.47 10-yard dash…2.49 20-yard dash…4.4 20-yard shuttle…34-inch vertical jump…10′0″ broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times.
High School
Attended Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.) High School, playing football for head coach Steve Ellis…Earned second-team All-State, All-Central New York and All-Area honors as a tailback and outside linebacker for the Northstars…Excelled in track, and was the recipient of the Gatorade New York State Track Athlete of the Year Award after winning the 2004 National Indoor Track Championship in the 60 meters (6.82)…Finished first in the state in both the 100 and 200 meters as a senior, setting a school record with a 10.60-second clocking in the 100-meter dash.
Personal
Economics major…One of nine siblings…Born Tyvon A. Branch on 12/11/86…Resides in Syracuse, New York.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Tommy Tommy Tommy you blow too much smoke Bro. Todd Watkins would’ve and should’ve been a very good player but I think he’sjust lacks the disciplin and mental toughness. I don’tknow this kid fron beans we just drafted but the difference between a 1st rnd pick and a 7th is just disciplin and development. Talent is everywhere. There are kids that didn’t get drafted tht are more talented than many that did.
Schilens sounds just like Todd a guy who lacks disciplin and development. But i do know Todd has phenomenal talent he’s just underdeveloped. Now you might be right but it sounds like to me if what you say is true to go in the 7th makes no sense with his measureables.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
8-10 wins next year has us drafting in about the 15-20 range in rd 1, and the 45-50 range in rd 2.
Give these guys a couple of realistic DT or DE options.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Coinman,..you are right,.it is grand to be me,…Im 2 rows from the action in the north endzone,…a few seats from Charles,..(Darth Raider),…by the way he has a blog at the Trib,..check it out,…I talk to him a few times during the offseason, he mentioned this blog,..he and I agree that nobody who are regulars in this Jerry blog go to games,..that most pop in here to complain about all the bad deadls Davis does,…fire Ryan,..Fire Kiffin,…Jamarcus sucks,..blah blah blah,…I came in here today to say the Raider draft was great,…you can be the guy who says it was lousy and we will lose all the games,..so yes its grand to be me,..obviously it sucks to be you.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
If I knew we were going to draft a bunch of Special Teams players…I would have skipped this whole thing. A bunch of project and non complete players that are still in the developmental stage. Hey…Lets just draft every WR and CB who can run fast and call it a fukin day. We draft a DE at 258 lbs? WTF? Yeah, thats really going to stop the run. Are we switching to a 3-4 or something? Wonderful.
April 27th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
4-12 here we come….Russell will get killed with Harris and Green protecting the edges….McFadden does nothing for the run defense…and Glenn Dorsey is now a Cheif….oh yeah… I will LMAO when McFadden goes “dead on contact” at the LOS after Jamal Williams pushes back John Wade…Mike Mayock was right…when has “Mr” Davis been right…more track stars and our Offensive and Defensive lines still have major problems….
April 27th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Arman Shields, WR, Richmond
Selected: Round 4, Pick 27, Overall Pick 125 by Raiders
Name: Arman Shields (+) Coming off knee injury
College: Richmond Number: 14
Height: 6-1 Weight: 194
Position: WR Pos2: KR
Class/Draft Year: rSr/2008
40 Time: 4.37 40 Low: 4.33 40 High: 4.49
Projected Round: 4 Stock: High: Early 3 Low: Late 6
Rated number 18 out of 336 WR’s 130 / 2546 TOTAL
Combine Results
Pro Day Results
Combine Invite: Yes
Height: 6006
Weight: 194
40 Yrd Dash: 4.37
20 Yrd Dash: 2.51
10 Yrd Dash: 1.51 225 Lb. Bench Reps: 19
Vertical Jump: 37 1/2
Broad Jump: 10′08″
20 Yrd Shuttle: 3.96
3-Cone Drill: 6.67
Dates: 03/18/06
Height: 6006
Weight: 194
40 Yrd Dash:
20 Yrd Dash:
10 Yrd Dash: 225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump:
Broad Jump:
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
Before Combine: Hgt: 6010, Wgt: 188, 40YD: 4.45-4.52-4.57
Draft Scout Snapshot: DS Rating on 08/12/07: #42 WR, #406/750 Overall, Projected: PFA rising
2008 Postseason update (04/04/08): Stock: Up. A “wow” Combine proved he has the athleticism to play in the NFL: 4.37 40, 19 reps, 37.5″ vertical, 10′8″ broad, 3.96 short shuttle, 6.67 three cone. He separated himself from other Sunday small-school prospects with that workout.
2007: Shields was a preseason All-American selection, but was limited to three games due to a posterior cruciate knee ligament sprain…Caught fourteen passes for 125 yards (8.9 avg) and lost 2 yards on a reverse…10 GP; 10 GS; Rec: 54-643-11.9-5; KR: 12-248-20.7-0; 2nd team All-Atlantic 10 in ‘06. 13 GP; 11 GS; Rec: 62-842-13.6-4; KR: 1-13-13-0 in ‘05. 10 GP; 3 GS; Rush: 1-11-11-0; Rec: 30-320-10.7-4 in ‘04. Redshirted in ‘03.
Overview
A native of Washington, D.C., Shields enrolled at Richmond after leading his high school team to its first conference championship in 2002.
Also a member of the track team in high school, Shields has been timed in under 4.50 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which certainly caught the eye of professional scouts.
Shields finished his Spiders career with seven 100-yard receiving performances in 37 games. He’s second in school history with 160 career receptions, sixth with 1,930 yards and eight with 13 touchdowns.
Analysis
Positives: Has a lean, angular frame with good muscle tone and is much stronger than his appearance indicates…Possesses a good combination of quickness and strength…Willing backside blocker with good body control moving over the middle…Seems more comfortable working in the short area and has issues tracking the ball on long patterns…Not sudden off the snap, but builds to top speed in a hurry…Has the body control, balance and footwork to stem and leverage a defender, doing a nice job of setting up his short-area routes…Best when settling underneath, as he uses his hands well to swat away defenders and shield the ball from defenders…Alert to the sideline and works hard to keep his feet going for the throws on the perimeter…Shows just adequate pop coming out of his cuts, but has a knack for getting open in the short area by executing decent double moves (has problems on long routes)…Seems more comfortable getting to the ball on intermediate and controlled routes…Willing to sacrifice his body to get to the ball in a crowd…Knows how to find the soft spot in the zone and has the body control to make the tough catches in traffic…Attacks the ball aggressively and shows the leg drive to break tackles with the body lean to gain extra yardage falling forward…Works hard to face up to defenders when blocking for the running game…Has confidence using his stiff arm in attempts to separate…Demonstrates good arm extension blocking from the backside and is very effective taking angles and going low in his pads to cut block.
Negatives: Has a knee injury that limited him to just three games in 2007 and further medical evaluation is needed…Best when catching the ball in stride, as despite his vertical jump, he does not time his leaps well or extend for the ball at its high point…Has t