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Draft Preview: Raiders pick 18th
Posted: Tuesday March 30, 1999 01:45 PM
For the next 18 days, CNN/SI will offer a daily look at one pick from the 1999 draft, finishing with Cleveland. Check back for a new preview each day. Every year, the trade rumors start flying in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft, but to many fans' disappointment, only a small percentage of the speculation ever actually pans out. Don't blame the Oakland Raiders for that one. The Raiders, who have the 18th pick in the April draft, have done as much draft-day dealing in the past three years as any team in the league. Six weeks before last year's draft, Oakland gave up a fourth-round pick for Saints cornerback Eric Allen, who tied for the team lead with five interceptions last season. Two weeks later, they sent linebacker Rob Fredrickson, who would become a free agent this offseason, to Detroit for a fourth-round pick. On draft day, they gave up two second-round picks for Tampa Bay's first-round pick, the 23rd overall, and selected tackle Mo Collins, who started 10 games last season. They moved up in the fourth round and gave up two sixth-round picks for a fifth-rounder. They've done it in past years, too -- in 1997, they had a traded pick in every round, moving up from 10th to 2nd overall to take defensive tackle Darrell Russell in the first round. A year earlier, they moved up eight spots to take tight end Rickey Dudley in the first round. With all this in mind, the Raiders could do just about anything in this year's draft. The four-year deal the team gave Rich Gannon would seem to limit their interest in a franchise quarterback, but with this year's class, it's hard to rule that out. Even tailback Napoleon Kaufman has been rumored to be traded, with speculation that the team would like more bulk in their backfield. Best bet for No. 18 Given the Raiders' penchant for trades and a long line of minor needs, this is one of the harder picks to get a grip on in the first round. Oakland would like to improve their situation at right guard, but there aren't really any guards worth the 18th pick. One option is Wisconsin's Aaron Gibson, who played tackle collegiately but could shift to guard in the NFL. Gibson's size would make him a better fit for a team with a bulldozer-type back and not the 185-pound Kaufman.
The team could also use a spark at wide receiver, where Tim Brown and James Jett have both started every game for three straight years but no third option has emerged. Terry Mickens, acquired from Green Bay last year, had a career year with 24 catches, but none longer than 32 yards, and Desmond Howard has six catches in two years in Oakland. The Raiders haven't drafted a receiver since 1993 and haven't used anything higher than a fourth-round pick on one since taking Brown in 1988. That will change this year, but not necessarily in the first round. The most pressing need looks to be at linebacker, where outside starters Terry Wooden and Richard Harvey were both 32 last year. Middle linebacker Greg Biekert has been a regular starter for five years, but there's not enough depth at any of the three positions. The Raiders can go inside or outside if they want a linebacker -- Clemson's Rahim Abdullah, the draft's top prospect on the outside, will likely be available when the Raiders pick. On the inside, Ohio State's Andy Katzenmoyer, once thought to be a top-five pick, should still be around at 18. Katzenmoyer has the speed and athleticism the Raiders covet, and if he can return to the form that had scouts drooling after his sophomore year, he'd be a steal that late in the first round. Look for the Raiders to not let Katzenmoyer fall any farther than 18th. He reportedly has caught Al Davis' eye in the last few months, and that will play heavily in who the Raiders select with their top pick. Click here if you have a question or comment about the upcoming NFL Draft. We'll answer a few questions and publish selected comments once a week between now and April 17.
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