In the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft the Oakland Raiders select safety Michael Huff out of University of Texas.
Well, we didn't get Texas QB Vince Young, but we did get a NCAA Champion player from Texas by drafting Michael Huff. Huff has played safety and cornerback and has the experience to make an immediate impact on defense. He's fast and a smart football player.
One of our other draft picks looked real impressive when I saw his NFL combine clip on Comcast On-Demand. He's a relentless defender with speed and good coverage skills. When I heard them liken him to Troy Polomolau of the Steelers, I really began paying attention. Who is this second round pick the Raiders nabbed you may ask? That would be Thomas Howard OLB out of UTEP. He's 6'3", 240lbs and fast.
I'm proud of the Raiders for not getting duped into picking QB Matt Leinart. Some say the Raiders were having flashbacks of Todd Marinovich, first round pick also out of USC that was a bust for the then L.A. Raiders back in 1991. If that be the case then I commend the Raiders organization for remembering past mistakes and learning from them. As they say, first time shame on you, second time shame on me.
And of course the Raiders ended up with the final pick of the draft. Mr. Irrelevant, as the pick is called, turned out to be WR Kevin McMahan out of Maine. The word Art Shell used to describe the film they've seen on our Mr. Irrelevant is "Exciting." We'll see about that.
Congratulations Oakland Raiders Organization for putting the needs of the team ahead of the urge to star search for ticket sales. We need defensive players and offensive line help. We got them both. As for our quarterback position, I can't wait to see Andrew Walters at the helm. I believe he's the suprise weapon for this coming season. Having Walters is like having a second first-round choice in the draft. He looked good in last years exhibition games and he's had some time to watch the pro game from the sideline. If we can get the running game going and some reliable pass protection, Walters could be the man come September.
I'm not sure why we kept Marques Tuiasosopo. I guess we need somebody at QB who's held the clipboard for more than a year. Actually, Tui could have a breakout year also. He usually does good during exhibition season, although last year might have been his worst showing. Us fans like to think of Tui as a George Blanda type Raider. We cheer for him when he comes into a game and we feel his pain when things go bad. When things do go bad for Tui we usually blame the coach's play calling or protection breakdown. One thing about Tui is that he never gives up, always trying to make something happen. To be honest, I'm glad Tui is still a Raider. I know he bleeds silver and black. Hopefully Aaron Brooks can learn what it means to be a Raiders QB from Tui (take the hit aaron), and Tui can learn what it takes to be a starting QB from Brooks. To say the least our quarterback situation is a bit unsettling and suspect, just a bit. But like an alleged perpetrator of a crime in the U.S., As of now they're innocent until proven guilty.
Results from the Oakland Raiders 2006 Draft Selections:
Round Overall Player Pos. School Ht. Wt.
1 7 Michael Huff S Texas 6'0" 205
2 38 Thomas Howard OLB UTEP 6'3" 240
3 69 Paul McQuistan OG Weber State 6'6" 315
4 101 Darnell Bing SS USC 6'2" 228
6 176 Kevin Boothe OL Cornell 6'5" 315
7 214 Chris Morris C Michigan State 6'4" 305
7 255 Kevin McMahan WR Maine 6'2" 196
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