When planning your draft strategy, it is a reasonable thing to want to add some Raiders to your squad. In my previous post I mentioned three players who would be good targets early on on the draft. In a later post I will outline some sleepers who might be smart picks late in a draft. But today, I will discuss three players who, although they might help the Raiders this year, probably won't help you.

First, Brandon Myers. He was the primary backup to Kevin Boss at tight end last year, and made some good plays due to his excellent hands. However, he is very slow and not terribly athletic, and might even lose the starting tight end job altogether to David Ausberry. The Raiders have so many weapons on offense that Myers will more often than not be completely overlooked. His only hope is that the defense doesn't bother to cover him and he can get open easily. Even if he does, he won't be able to break away from defenders. There are at least 40 other tight ends who are a better option than Myers, who wouldn't even be worth a third-string TE slot on any fantasy team should any fantasy owner ever draft three tight ends.

Next is Louis Murphy. He has the pure talent and skills to be a big-time receiver as he showed in college, but injury woes and the emergence of three clearly superior receivers above him on the depth chart leave him in a tough position. He is quality depth for the team and nothing more. I expect Juron Criner to be above him on the depth chart before the season is over. It isn't uncommon for teams to have three receivers who are reliable fantasy options- Eli Manning's Giants of 2011 with Nicks/Cruz/Manningham, Peyton's old Colts with Harrison/Wayne/Stokely, Aaron Rodgers' Packers with Jennings/Driver/Nelson, etc. But those teams were all teams that favored the pass primarily, and the Raiders of late have been a running juggernaut. There won't be enough balls to go around for Murphy to have any kind of impact, unless there is an injury. Even if there is, he still won't have enough opportunity to be a fantasy force.

Finally there's Taiwan Jones. This has nothing to do with Jones' talent level; given the right situation he could be a poor man's Chris Johnson. There is one reason that Jones won't be valuable to you this year and his name is Mike Goodson. Not only is Goodson an excellent kick returner, he is also the team's primary backup to McFadden. The tandem of McFadden and Michael Bush last season left little to no carries for Jones, and when he did get carries he suffered injury. Should McFadden yet again have some calamity befall him, Jones will have some value but until then he is someone that shouldn't even he on your radar come draft day.

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Last season, the Raiders only had one player who should have been drafted in the first ten rounds of your fantasy draft- Darren McFadden. He was a top-10 fantasy pick and before he went down was playing so well that he was making a case as the top overall player in fantasy. After McFadden went down, the Raider offense changed its identity with the addition of Carson Palmer and McFadden's fantasy stock fell. What does this mean for you as a fantasy player? One thing: McFadden is going to be criminally underrated in drafts this season. Each of the league's top running backs has durability issues- Adrian Peterson is coming off a devastating knee injury, Arian Foster was hurt last year, Rashard Mendenhall tore his ACL only six months ago and Jamaal Charles is also coming back from an ACL tear. What this means is that nearly every first-round running back is a complete question mark and Darren McFadden is as good a gamble as any of them. and maybe a better one because he had a foot injury rather than an ACL or concussion issue. If he falls past pick ten, he is a steal in your draft.

This year, the Raiders have two more players who should be drafted early. The second Raider player to be selected in your draft should be Carson Palmer. As a Raider, he threw for over 2700 yards in half a season, meaning he could easily eclipse 5,000 passing yards and 30 TDs in the 2012 season. Those are Philip Rivers-like numbers, and Rivers is the sort of underrated fantasy player that wins titles. Rivers typically goes in the fourth round, but Palmer can likely be had later than that. If you miss out on the top tier of Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Stafford or Romo, wait until round six and pick up Palmer. He will make you look like a genius and you can use your top five picks on backs and receivers with impunity.

The final premier Raider player to consider early on is Darrius Heyward-Bey. His lack of scoring prowess will prevent him from being considered a true WR1 on your team like Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson or Mike Wallace, but he will be a solid WR2 or WR3 in the tier of Roddy White, Greg Jennings and Brandon Marshall. Heyward-Bey amassed nearly a thousand yards last season despite playing half of it with Jason Campbell, and I boldly predict he will score at least seven touchdowns in his upcoming campaign. He is clearly the Raiders #1 receiver and with Palmer under center he will finally be treated like it. He shouldn't be in the top ten receivers drafted, but any time after round eight would be a smart time to target him. If there is a run on top WR in, say, the fourth round as there often is, he could be a good value in the sixth or seventh. Don't reach for him, but know that he will probably be underranked due to his previous lack of touchdowns in comparison to similarly skilled receivers.

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Giants’ minor league affiliates continue their strong play led by some excellent pitching performances over the weekend. Fresno and San Jose maintain their leads in their respective divisions and former first-rounders Gary Brown and Joe Panik continue their development as they look to advance in the organization.

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As of now, the Raiders only have four tight ends under contract and none of them are remotely close to being considered stars in the sense that Zach Miller and Kevin Boss were. What the Raiders do have is a young group of players with potential, only one of whom has more than a single NFL season under his belt.

Brandon Myers is that player, entering his fourth season out of the University of Iowa. He has been a capable backup in his career, but he is slow and sluggish in his routes. He is powerful and has good hands and wll likely see the lion's share of snaps at the TE position this year.

David Ausberry is entering his second year and is easily the most athletic tight end on the team and arguably the one with the most potential. Ausberry was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, but was never targeted much at USC which is why he fell so far in the draft. He does have all the physical tools and speed one looks for in a dependable receiver, and reports that he has increased his bulk in OTAs are encouraging. He could truly be the answer at the position for years to come if he continues his development.

Richard Gordon is the Raiders' other second-year tight end. He is extremely tough and will be used primarily as a blocker. His success will depend largely on his mastery of the zone blocking scheme, do not expect to see many receptions from him.

The final TE on the roster is an UDFA from Boise State, Kyle Efaw. He was one of Kellen Moore's favorite targets at Boise State and the Raiders liked him well enough to sign him to a three-year contract. His measurables seem similar to Myers', so we will see where his career goes from here.

Having a lack of an established star at the position for the Raiders may be a blessing this year, as it will force the team to give each of its young players lots of time on the field and compete to be the guy.

Currently, the Raiders have twelve wide receivers on their roster. Obviously some of these guys are just war, bodies for training camp, but we'll focus on the guys who have proven something in college and the pros.

The Raiders’ #1 receiver at this point has to be Darrius Heyward-Bey. Taken eighth overall in 2009, he had a rough start to his career, with more dropped passes than one cares to think about. He came on strong last year with nearly a thousand yards receiving and four touchdowns. With Carson Palmer throwing the passes, it is fair to expect an even better year from him in 2012.

Jacoby Ford would have to be considered the team’s #2 receiver, although he is talented enough to be considered a #1. He is blazing fast and is a dynamo in the return game. The Raiders will look to use him in a variety of ways, including on screens and deep outs. He is not tall enough to win many jump balls, but can use his speed to gain separation.

Denarius Moore was a steal in the fourth round last year and quickly established himself as one of the game’s premier young wideouts. He is a true deep threat in the Julio Jones mold and has good enough hands to catch the tough balls over the middle.

Louis Murphy is fourth on the depth chart, and while talented usually doesn’t get enough balls thrown his way to make an impact. However, in the case of injury he can be a capable fill-in, and would have already done so if he did not have such a durability problem himself. In any case, he currently stands as quality depth for the WR position.

Lastly on the "real players" list we have Raiders 2012 draft pick Juron Criner. He was one of the top receivers in the Pac-12 for the majority of his collegiate career, and fell in the draft likely due to a poor 40 time. However, at his Pro Day he ran a 4.5 so he isn’t exactly slow. The Raiders have plenty of speedy receivers, what they need is a guy with good size and great hands. That is exactly what Criner brings to the table. He put on a total show at OTAs, catching everything thrown his way. Given the opportunity he could be a major weapon for the Raiders this year and should figure heavily in their plans for years to come.

The full WR depth chart is as follows:

Darrius Heyward-Bey
Jacoby Ford
Denarius Moore
Louis Murphy
Juron Criner
Duke Calhoun
Thomas Mayo
Eddie McGee
Travionte Session
Rod Streater
Derek Carrier
Brandon Carswell

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

It was an eventful week for the Giants’ farm teams, with Fresno and San Jose maintaining their grips on first place in their respective divisions. On Saturday, Eric Hacker had a tremendous start for Fresno as he went seven innings giving up only one run and striking out six in a 10-4 victory over Round Rock.

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According to a tweet from the Raiders themselves, the team will have a player ranked on the NFL's Top 100 Players list somewhere between 51 and 60. The tweet asks fans to speculate on who the player will be. There are only a few main suspects, but there is another clue after the jump.

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On paper, the Raiders are set at running back with the top two of Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson. However, as McFadden has yet to complete a full season due to various injuries, the Raiders depth chart actually consists of a lot of question marks and players who have proven very little in the NFL.

McFadden has the potential to be an All-Pro if he can stay healthy, and all indications are that he is currently at 100% and ready to go for the season. However, this was also said about him before last season began and we all know how that turned out. The loss of McFadden last season was somewhat mitigated by the presence of Michael Bush, but he is now a Chicago Bear backing up Matt Forte.

Now in the Bush role is Mike Goodson, a fourth-year player from Texas A&M. Goodson was acquired in a trade from the Carolina Panthers, where he had great success filling in for an injured Jonathan Stewart, gaining on average over 100 yards in his three starts. He also gained over a thousand yards in kickoff returns for the season. If the Raiders choose to use him in a return role this season he could be a great asset in that regard.

Taiwan Jones will also be returning from injury, and if he stays healthy he can be a real game-breaker for the offense. He is blazing fast and extremely elusive, but due to his size isn't very durable. The Raiders will likely want to keep McFadden's workload light to keep him from wearing down, which will mean more opportunities for Jones.

In addition, the Raiders just signed Owen Schmitt, who is a fullback but is listed at RB on the Raiders depth chart. He is a tough, bruising runner who is more athletic than he looks and can be counted on to get the tough yards in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He is basically a slightly slower version of Mike Bush.

The rest of the depth chart is mostly camp fodder and practice squad nobodies. The full RB roster is here:

Darren McFadden
Mike Goodson
Taiwan Jones
Owen Schmitt
Manase Tonga
Tre'Shawn Robnson
Lonyae Miller
Rashawn Jackson

Recently, Raiders S Tyvon Branch was interviewed on 95.7 The Fan by John Lund. He answered a variety of questions regarding the state defense, how the team will move forward without Al Davis, and his own contract situation. Branch seemed upbeat about the direction the team is going and seemed unconcerned with his franchise tag and long-term future with the team.You can read the transcript here.

Branch is clearly the best player on the defense and having him buy into the scheme will be key to the team's success, as will locking him up to a long-term contract in the future. Branch is a professional and will not sulk if he doesn't get a contract offer in whatever time he deems appropriate, but his contract should be Reggie McKenzie's top priority going in to the next offseason.

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Going into the 2012 season, quarterback is at long last the position at which the Raiders have the least amount of concern. The position is manned by an All-Pro, Heisman-winning, former number one overall pick in Carson Palmer. He is backed up by a solid veteran and also former Heisman winner Matt Leinart, and third on the depth chart is supplemental pick Terrelle Pryor, a tremendous athlete in his own right who will be given the opportunity to learn the system without any pressure to perform immediately.

The Raiders gave up a lot to get Carson Palmer, but a player of his skill and caliber always requires great sacrifice to acquire. He has a huge arm, good accuracy, and a quick release which somewhat negates his lack of mobility. He can make all the throws and has the ability to lead Oakland's speedy receivers with pinpoint downfield throws. He is a good fit for OC Gregg Knapp's system, as he can make all the throws Matt Schaub was asked to make in Houston under Knapp. Palmer will not have any receiver remotely as good as Andre Johnson, but the Raiders WR corps as a whole is vastly superior to Houston's (and Cincinnati's when Palmer last played there) and Palmer will be able to take advantage of that. Look for a huge year from Carson Palmer.

Matt Leinart is the perfect backup for this team. He's a California guy, a smart player who previously backed up Palmer at USC, and played in the Greg Knapp system last year in Houston. He showed flashes of being really good last year before suffering an injury. He will know his role and should anything ill befall Palmer, Leinart will be better than Kyle Boller was last year. That's really all the Raiders ask at this point. He was thrown to the wolves in Arizona, but has been a solid backup since then. He may end up taking the long route on the Matt Schaub career path, wherein he languishes as a backup for some time before a team picks him up to be the starter. He is precisely what the Raiders need at this juncture.

Finally, there's Terrelle Pryor. Many people felt Al Davis was daft to use a third-round supplmental pick on Pryor. Those people apparently never watched Pryor play in college. He is extremely athletic and willed Ohio State to many victories seemingly on his own, He was one of those Cam Newton man-amongst-boys type players in the Big Ten and dominated the competition. There was clearly nobody in the third round this year remotely close to Pryor's level of skill and football talent. He will have every opportunity to develop into this team's long-term answer at QB, as neither of the top two QBs on the depth chart have long-term futures here. Pryor is the perfect guy to slowly develop and mold into that role. If all goes well for him he could develop into a Randall Cunningham-style dual threat at quarterback and make the Raiders even more dynamic on offense than they are currently.

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

The Giants’ minor league teams have been doing well lately, with two of the affiliates in first place in their divisions and only one team, Augusta, under .500 for the year. Fresno in particular is playing exceptionally, with a record of 25-13. Eric Hacker put up seven innings of 1-run ball on Sunday to lead the Grizzlies to a 7-1 victory over Omaha, but on Monday the bullpen blew a late lead resulting in an 8-5 loss. This spoiled Andrew Kown’s terrific start, as he gave up two runs in seven strong innings, recording four strikeouts.

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Yesterday, CSN's Paul Gutierrez posted this article detailing new Raiders QB coach John DeFilippo's recent comments regarding the efforts being put forth by Raiders QB Terrelle Pryor.

"The first thing is, everybody knows how hard he's working," said the returning John DeFilippo, who was the Raiders QB coach in 2007 and 2008. "He's going to give himself a chance to be a good player in this league, because of his work ethic. He and I are in communication every day. He's a gym rat here in this building. He loves being here, loves talking football, loves being around, playing the game. He's getting better everyday."

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Several Giants farmhands have had big weeks, with Richmond CF Gary Brown stealing his eighth base and San Jose LF Jarrett Parker hitting his fifth home run. SP Kyle Crick had a solid outing on Sunday for Augusta, striking out eight and going six innings for the win. Here are the results from Monday night:

AAA: Fresno was rained out Monday night. They are 23-7 this year, comfortably in first place in the PCL. They will host Iowa from May 8-11.

Read the rest of the Giants minor league results after the jump.

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Madison Bumgarner pitched seven solid innings and hit an RBI double in the fifth inning to help his own cause as the Giants won today for the first time in five games. Hector Sanchez hit two doubles, tallied an RBI and scored a run and Melky Cabrera hit a triple and also scored for the Giants (13-14).

Sanchez hit two monster doubles that likely would have been home runs in most other parks. After his first double of the day, Bumgarner, who allowed a single run in the first inning, doubled him in on a line shot to left field in the fifth to open the scoring for San Francisco. The following inning, the Giant hitters finally seemed to figure out Randy Wolf, who rapidly began struggling with his control as his pitch count rose. Cabrera opened the frame with a triple to left-center and Buster Posey hit a single up the middle to drive him in and provide the Giants with a lead they would not relinquish. Brett Pill and Conor Gillaspie would also record RBIs in the sixth inning to put the Giants up 4-1.

In the eighth inning, reliever Guillermo Mota gave up a solo home run to reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun, but he and Javier Lopez shut the door to end the inning. Hector Sanchez hit his second double for an RBI in the bottom of the eighth, and then Santiago Casilla handled the Brewers in the ninth to record his fifth save.

Bumgarner was fairly dominant save the second inning, striking out five and only walking one. He consistently fooled the Brewer hitters by changing speeds and sight lines, and would have had even greater success if not for a few questionable check-swing calls. His command was excellent and his slider was biting hard. He looked every bit what Giants fans expect him to be, which is a perennial Cy Young contender.

The Giants will try to take the series tomorrow with Matt Cain on the hill, facing Shaun Marcum. Game time is once again 1:05 Pacific.

Tim Lincecum looked very shaky early on, unable to find the strike zone as he gave up three first-inning runs to the Brewers, one on a wild pitch. He settled down after that and threw four more solid innings, retiring his last ten batters faced. However, Zack Greinke shut down the Giant bats for the most part until the sixth inning when the Giants scored three runs to tie the game at 4 apiece. Angel Pagan singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 18 games.

After that, the Brewers scored two runs in the seventh inning off Clay Hensley with an Aramis Ramirez two-run single, and that was all they would need as the bullpen tandem of Francisco Rodriguez and John Axford shut the Giants out in the eighth and ninth frames to secure the Milwaukee victory, 6 to 4.

Lincecum's overall line does not look terrible- five innings, two hits, three runs, four strikeouts. However, if you saw his lack of command in the first inning you would think the wheels were falling off, and his struggles in the first inning so far have been a recurring theme for him this season. If the Giants are to contend this year, Lincecum must stop digging them holes to climb out of in the first inning of his starts.

The Giants have not won a game since losing Pablo Sandoval to injury. On Saturday, Madison Bumgarner will take on Randy Wolf, a pitcher who has had great success against the Giants. Game time is 1:05 PM Pacific.

Ricky Nolasco has dominated the Giants in recent history, and tonight was no different. Nolasco pitched 7.1 innings, scattering 7 hits, striking out one and walking one. He let eight men on base, but none made it around to score save Pablo Sandoval, who blasted a solo home run to right field in the sixth inning, his fifth home run of the year.

The Giants had numerous opportunities to score, but Nolasco worked out of jams all night long. He intentionally walked the bases loaded in the eighth inning after a Gregor Blanco double and an Angel Pagan sacrifice bunt which was mishandled by catcher Brett Hayes, but reliever Edward Mujica came in and got Buster Posey to ground into a double play, ending the threat.

Matt Cain had another typical great start at home, pitching eight innings while allowing six hits and walking one, with four strikeouts. He only allowed an RBI single to Hanley Ramirez in the fourth inning and a fifth-inning home run to Giancarlo Stanton. However, those runs would prove all the Marlins would need tonight, as the Giants continue their streak of awful hitting with runners in scoring position.

The next game will be Wednesday, May 2nd with Carlos Zambrano facing off with Barry Zito.

First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. PT with coverage on CSN Bay Area and KNBR 680 AM in the Bay Area, and Fox Sports Florida and WZXY 790 AM in and around Miami.

For more on the Giants, head over to McCovey Chronicles. For the Marlins side of things, check out Fish Stripes.

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Day 3 for the AFC West, besides a few notable exceptions, was a steady stream of "Who?" So many of these players are unheralded and projected to be low draft picks or undrafted free agents. The notable exceptions are CB Omar Bolden from Arizona State (Broncos), De'Quan Menzie from Alabama (Chiefs), and Juron Criner of Arizona (Raiders).

The Chiefs took a couple projects in Cyrus Gray and Jerome Long, but I think they struck gold with De'Quan Menzie and Junior Hemingway. Devon Wylie is an interesting guy who is a great return man, and we can all remember the last time the Chiefs had a great return man in Dante Hall. He single-handedly morphed the Chiefs from an average team into a scary one. Wylie isn't on that level but he does make them better. Menzie was a starter on the best defense in college football, and coming from Alabama you know he's prepared for the pro game. Hemingway is a big, tall spread receiver with good hands.

The Chargers may have picked a guy with the best value of Day 3 in Michigan center David Molk. Molk isn't tall, but he is very thick with a neck like a Virginia ham. He was the best center in the country last year and why he wasn't taken on Day 2 is incomprehensible. Molk will be starting within a year and should anchor the San Diego line for the foreseeable future. The Chargers also picked up TE LaDarius Green from Louisiana-Lafayette, who is a good prospect to develop behind Antonio Gates and to give playing time to when Gates inevitably misses time with the flu or a pulled spleen or whatever ailment curses him this season.

The Broncos took Omar Bolden, an excellent corner from Arizona State who probably shouldn't have fallen so far, in the fourth, as well as a terrific center/guard from Baylor in Philip Blake. The rest of their third day was blah, but that doesn't matter. Peyton Manning will win twelve games by himself no matter who the sixth round picks are. They could have selected my aged grandmother in the third round for all the difference it would make.

The Raiders had five picks on Day 3, and devoted all but one to defense. They took two defensive linemen and two linebackers. They utterly neglected to address the secondary, which is baffling to me, but Juron Criner is so shiny I can't be too upset. Their actions tell me one of two things: they like Chekwa and Van Dyke as backups to Bartel and Spencer OR they did not see a cornerback they liked with any of their picks. I call shenanigans on number two, because Chase Minnifield went undrafted and that's nonsense.
Miles Burriss and Nate Stupar are two high-energy linebackers who have the versatility to play inside or outside in any scheme, and the Raiders (as I mentioned yesterday) need as many of those as they can get. Jack Crawford is a tough developmental defensive end, and Christo Bilukidi is simply a very large man who will need time to adjust to the NFL game.
The real gem here, of course, is Juron Criner. He has true #1 receiver ability, and can catch the ball in traffic as well as stretch the field and make all the catches, even the degree-of-difficulty acrobatic ones. Criner fell in the draft due to a slow 40 time, but his tape shows that he is plenty fast enough. He's not exactly a burner like, say, Julio Jones, but his size and great hands allow him to win most battles against even the best cornerbacks. The Raiders have enough burners and speedsters on their team already (Ford, Moore, Heyward-Bey) what they need is a guy who is big and strong and can make all the tough catches and handle the contact without breaking (looking at you, Chaz Schilens). The Raiders' WR rotation has a lot of talent, but if anyone can crack that nut it's Criner, who possesses a unique skill set that the coaching staff and Carson Palmer will appreciate.

At this point I think it's safe to say the Rams had the best draft of anyone in the NFC West, and maybe of any team in the entire league. After spending the first two days of the draft getting ridiculous value on every pick, the Rams spent Day 3 infusing young talent into nearly every position on the team. The Cardinals got three starting-caliber offensive linemen on Day 3, which is nearly impossible to do. The Seahawks kept on Seahawkin', taking project after project, hoping to take raw pieces of linebacker clay and mold them into some sort of linebacker brick. The Niners didn't have a lot of needs other than explosiveness on offense, which they addressed with the selections of A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael James. They decided to fill holes in their depth, picking two offensive linemen and three defensive players, one on each level of the defense.

The Rams began the festivities by selecting WR Chris Givens from Wake Forest. He and Brian Quick give the Rams a couple of fast receivers with good hands and the ability to make people miss in space. The Rams' WR corps is woeful, so this was definitely an area that needed some attention. The Rams then selected Rokevious Watkins, a large but middling guard prospect from South Carolina with good raw tools, but who will need lots of development to make anything out of himself in the NFL.
The next pick was K Greg Zeurlein, who instead of his name and number should wear a sign on the back of his jersey that says "Hey Josh Brown" and then depicts a large middle finger. Zeurlein wowed everyone at the combine with his booming field goals, but this pick was a message to Josh Brown not to let the door hit him in the rear on the way out of town. The Rams' seventh round picks, Aaron Brown and Daryl Richardson, have some talent but are too inconsistent to project as anything other than roster filler.

The Cardinals had an incredible Day 3, mining the draft mountain and finding diamonds in the rough everywhere they went. Bobby Massie inexplicably was available in Round 4, and my head nearly exploded when I saw Nate Potter come off the board in Round 7. Both of those guys were taken two or three rounds too late. This doesn't even mention Senio Kelemete, who is a mammoth guard from Washington who could easily start in a year or so. The Cardinals didn't even address their putrid offensive line until Day 3, and they completely turned it around into a very promising unit. Arizona's other selections were Justin Bethel, an underrated small-school cornerback, and Ryan Lindley, a developmental QB who can compete for time with all the other terrible develomental QBs on the Cardinal roster.

The Seahawks seem to be taking the approach of throwing random items at a wall to see what sticks. Every prospect they drafted is either an incomplete player, a player who didn't start full time, or a player not rated highly by other teams. Robert Turbin was a good choice for the spot he was taken, as the Seahawks desperately needed running back depth. The rest of the defensive players they drafted are just "wait-and-hope" prospects. They all have talent but will need to raise their intensity and focus to succeed.

The Niners seemed to address every need they had on their team, most of those being issues of depth rather than talent, without drafting anyone flashy or hyped save LaMichael James. On Day 3, the team took grinders and tough guys at every position. Joe Looney and Jason Slowey are monsters who will provide depth on the line and help address the team's only question mark- the second guard spot behind Mike Iupati. Darius Fleming will back up the finest LB corps in the league, while Trent Robinson will finally provide the Niners with a genuine backup safety prospect. Cam Johnson is an inconsistent pass rusher at defensive end but when he is at max effort he is tough to deal with. He can be coached up into a premier player at his position.

Kansas City Chiefs

With the 218th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have selected DT Jerome Long out of San Diego State. The Chiefs grab another big body for their defensive line. Long can play tackle or end, but may have fallen due to a hamstring injury. He was not projected to be drafted.

The Chiefs also took WR Junior Hemingway from Michigan. Hemingway was a productive receiver in college, hauling in passes from Denard Robinson. Hemingway is a spread receiver, which requires him to be an excellent blocker. He had good hands and can make the difficult catches.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Dontari Poe
Second Round: Jeff Allen
Third Round: Donald Stephenson
Fourth Round: Devon Wylie
Fifth Round: De'Quan Menzie
Sixth Round: Cyrus Gray
Seventh Round: Jerome Long

San Diego Chargers

With the 226th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chargers have selected C David Molk out of Michigan. Molk plays at around 300 pounds and is freakishly strong. He holds great value here, having been projected as a fourth rounder. Molk won the Rimington Award as that nation's best center last year and was a first-team All-American. The Chargers picked a potential long-term starter in the seventh round.

The Chargers also drafted RB Edwin Baker from Michigan State. Baker is short, fast, and extremely strong. Ball security is a concern, but he may be a good replacement for Mike Tolbert.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Melvin Ingram
Second Round: Kendall Reyes
Third Round: Brandon Taylor
Fourth Round: LaDarius Green
Fifth Round: Johnnie Troutman
Seventh Round: David Molk, Edwin Baker

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the AFC West, you can check out Bolts From The Blue for the San Diego Chargers, Arrowhead Pride for the Kansas City Chiefs and Mile High Report for the Denver Broncos.

St. Louis Rams

With the 209th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams have selected LB Aaron Brown out of Hawaii. Brown is a converted safety who is neither big or fast, but is adept at creating turnovers. Probably will be limited to special teams for the foreseeable future.

St. Louis also took RB Daryl Richardson from Abilene Christian. Richardson is the brother of Cincinnati Bengals RB Bernard Scott. He is fast and explosive but brittle and has trouble staying healthy.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Brockers
Second Round: Brian Quick, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead
Third Round: Trumaine Johnson
Fourth Round: Chris Givens
Fifth Round: Rokevious Watkins
Sixth Round: Greg Zeurlein
Seventh Round: Aaron Brown, Daryl Richardson

Arizona Cardinals

With the 221st pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals have selected T Nate Potter out of Boise State. Potter is a beast and a major steal in round seven. Potter is 6'6" and a legit 300 pounds. Potter is a great pass blocker who will keep the jersey clean of whichever scrub the Cardinals trot out at QB. It's rare to find a genuine left tackle prospect in round seven but the Cardinals have done so.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Floyd
Third Round: Jamell Fleming
Fourth Round: Bobby Massie
Fifth Round: Senio Kelemete
Sixth Round: Justin Bethel, Ryan Lindley
Seventh Round: Nate Potter

Seattle Seahawks

With the 225th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected DT J.R. Sweezy out of North Carolina State. Sweezy is a shade under 300 pounds, but can play end or tackle. He has good length and sheds blocks well. He can develop into a quality backup.

The Seahawks also drafted DT Greg Scruggs from Louisville. Scruggs has been a part-time starter but has excellent athleticism and quickness.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Bruce Irvin
Second Round: Bobby Wagner
Third Round: Russell Wilson
Fourth Round: Robert Turbin, Jaye Howard
Fifth Round: Korey Toomer
Sixth Round: Jeremy Lane, Winston Guy
Seventh Round: J.R. Sweezy, Greg Scruggs

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFC West, you can check out Turf Show Times for the St. Louis Rams, Revenge of the Birds for the Arizona Cardinals and Field Gulls for the Seattle Seahawks.

Kansas City Chiefs

With the 182nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have selected RB Cyrus Gray out of Texas A&M. Gray is a strong, tough runner who can take on a heavy workload. He will add depth to the Chiefs' rush attack as Jamaal Charles returns from an ACL injury.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Dontari Poe
Second Round: Jeff Allen
Third Round: Donald Stephenson
Fourth Round: Devon Wylie
Fifth Round: De'Quan Menzie
Sixth Round: Cyrus Gray

Denver Broncos

With the 188th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Broncos have selected LB Danny Trevathan out of Kentucky. He is a big hitter with excellent tackling ability who shows up well on film. He will add toughness and talent to the Broncos' agr\gressive defense.

Drafted So Far

Second Round: Derek Wolfe
Second Round: Brock Osweiler
Third Round: Ronnie Hillman
Fourth Round:Omar Bolden, Philip Blake
Fifth Round: Malik Jackson
Sixth Round: Danny Trevathan

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the AFC West, you can check out Bolts From The Blue for the San Diego Chargers, Arrowhead Pride for the Kansas City Chiefs and Mile High Report for the Denver Broncos.

St. Louis Rams

With the 171st pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams have selected K Greg Zeurlein out of Missouri Western. Zeurlein blew the scouts away at the combine with his massive leg. He reportedly nailed a 57-yarder to the amazement of the crowd.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Brockers
Second Round: Brian Quick, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead
Third Round: Trumaine Johnson
Fourth Round: Chris Givens
Fifth Round: Rokevious Watkins
Sixth Round: Greg Zeurlein

Arizona Cardinals

With the 177th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals have selected CB Justin Bethel out of Presbyterian. Bethel is notable for a 60-inch flat footed vertical jump. He runs a 4.5 and is proficient at blocking kicks. He is an excellent special teams contributor and that is like where he will begin competing in the NFL. However, with his raw athleticism he could become a capable backup defensive back.

Arizona also selected QB Ryan Lindley from San Diego State. The Cardinals QB depth chart is really up in the air, with no clear starter, and Lindley will have as good a chance as anyone to earn playing time.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Floyd
Third Round: Jamell Fleming
Fourth Round: Bobby Massie
Fifth Round: Senio Kelemete
Sixth Round: Justin Bethel, Ryan Lindley

Seattle Seahawks

With the 172nd pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected DB Jeremy Lane out of Northwestern State. Lane is a good athlete with excellent speed and very long arms. He will need to bulk up, but displays good hitting and tackling ability for his size.

Seattle also selected S Winston Guy from Kentucky with pick #181. Guy will be expected to add toughness and depth to their secondary rotation and contribute on special teams.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Bruce Irvin
Second Round: Bobby Wagner
Third Round: Russell Wilson
Fourth Round: Robert Rurbin, Jaye Howard
Fifth Round: Korey Toomer
Sixth Round: Jeremy Lane, Winston Guy

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFC West, you can check out Turf Show Times for the St. Louis Rams, Revenge of the Birds for the Arizona Cardinals andField Gulls for the Seattle Seahawks.

St. Louis Rams

With the 150th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams have selected OG Rokevious Watkins out of South Carolina. Watkins has started at both guard and tackle, but is more suited to guard. He is a bit of a reach here as he was projected as a seventh rounder, but he is versatile enough to provide quality depth for the Rams.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Brockers
Second Round: Brian Quick, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead
Third Round: Trumaine Johnson
Fourth Round: Chris Givens
Fifth Round: Rokevious Watkins

Arizona Cardinals

With the 151st pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals have selected OG Senio Kelemete out of Washington. Kelemete is a smooth, fluid player who has played primarily tackle but projects as a guard in the pros. He has good balance and quick feet and is strong enough to deal with most NFL defensive tackles.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Floyd
Third Round: Jamell Fleming
Fourth Round: Bobby Massie
Fifth Round: Senio Kelemete

Seattle Seahawks

With the 154th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected LB Korey Toomer out of Idaho. Toomer was projected as a 7th rounder, but he is very fast and has ideal height. The Seahawks seem intent on completely overhauling their linebacking corps and this guy will provide depth, and has the raw skills to develop into a starter.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Bruce Irvin
Second Round: Bobby Wagner
Third Round: Russell Wilson
Fourth Round: Robert Turbin, Jaye Howard
Fifth Round: Korey Toomer

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFC West, you can check out Turf Show Times for the St. Louis Rams, Revenge of the Birds for the Arizona Cardinals andField Gulls for the Seattle Seahawks.

Kansas City Chiefs

With the 146th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have selected CB/S De'Quan Menzie out of Alabama. Menzie was a productive secondary player for the Crimson Tide, and Alabama players are always well coached. Menzie isn't fast but is a ball hawk and can add depth to the KC secondary.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Dontari Poe
Second Round: Jeff Allen
Third Round: Donald Stephenson
Fourth Round: Devon Wylie
Fifth Round: De'Quan Menzie

San Diego Chargers

With the 149th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chargers have selected OG Johnnie Troutman out of Penn State. Troutman is a good rush blocker, but isn't proficient enough at pass blocking to be a starter.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Melvin Ingram
Second Round: Kendall Reyes
Third Round: Brandon Taylor
Fourth Round: LaDarius Green
Fifth Round: Johnnie Troutman

Denver Broncos

With the 137th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Broncos have selected DE Malik Jackson out of Tennessee. Jackson is a mammoth human being at 6'6" 285. He played tackle in college but he can play either tackle or end at the pro level. He has superior length and athleticism, and can either overpower guards or beat tackles off the edge..

Drafted So Far

Second Round: Derek Wolfe
Second Round: Brock Osweiler
Third Round: Ronnie Hillman
Fourth Round: Omar Bolden, Philip Blake
Fifth Round: Malik Jackson

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the AFC West, you can check out Bolts From The Blue for the San Diego Chargers, Arrowhead Pride for the Kansas City Chiefs and Mile High Report for the Denver Broncos.

With the No. 129 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders have selected LB Miles Burriss out of San Diego State..

It was just their second pick of the draft so far, having traded away picks in rounds one and two, while forfeiting their selection in round three by selecting quarterback Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft. They picked at the end of the third round with a compensatory selection though, bringing on interior lineman Tony Bergstrom.

With this selection, the Raiders as expected add depth to their linebacking corps, which is woefully thin. Burriss is an extremely athletic outside linebacker who performed a standing backflip for scouts at the Combine. He isn't blazing fast, but has good size at 6'2" and 236 pounds. He is versatile enough to play any linebacker position, which is exactly what the Raiders need with the new concepts on defense.

Raiders 2012 NFL Draft Haul

No. 95 (Third Round): OL Tony Bergstrom, Utah
No. 129 (Fourth Round): Miles Burriss

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the Oakland Raiders, go to Silver and Black Pride.

Kansas City Chiefs

With the 107th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chiefs have selected WR Devon Wylie out of Fresno State. Wylie is a dynamic return man and a slot receiver. He is good at making tacklers miss and has good burst in the open field. He will team with Dwayne Bowe and Jon Baldwin to give Matt Cassel a more complete WR corps.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Dontari Poe
Second Round: Jeff Allen
Third Round: Donald Stephenson
Fourth Round: Devon Wylie

San Diego Chargers

With the 110th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Chargers have selected TE LaDarius Green out of Louisiana-Lafayette. The Chargers desperately needed a tight end, with their star TE Antonio Gates constantly missing time with injury. Green is a big, fast tight end who was the most productive player at his position in 2010 and was an All-American that year. Green is the perfect guy to develop as a successor to Gates.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Melvin Ingram
Second Round: Kendall Reyes
Third Round: Brandon Taylor
Fourth Round: LaDarius Green

Denver Broncos

With the 101st pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Broncos have selected CB Omar Bolden out of Arizona State. Bolden is a starting=quality corner who tore his ACL last year and missed significant time. He was one of the Pac-12's best defensive players and on his play alone he had a second round grade. Chanp Bailey is getting up in years and the Broncos needed some youth in their secondary. Bolden is the best balue they could have got at this pick.

The Broncos also picked up C Philip Blake out of Baylor. Blake is 26 years old and is versatile enough to play center or either guard position. Blake has good footwork and is very thick. He's been protecting Robert Griffin III for years and now will seek to keep Peyton Manning's jersey clean.

Drafted So Far

Second Round: Derek Wolfe
Second Round: Brock Osweiler
Third Round: Ronnie Hillman
Fourth Round: Omar Bolden, Philip Blake

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the AFC West, you can check out Bolts From The Blue for the San Diego Chargers, Arrowhead Pride for the Kansas City Chiefs and Mile High Report for the Denver Broncos.

St. Louis Rams

With the 96th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams have selected WR Chris Givens out of Wake Forest. Givens is a quick, fast receiver who will team with Brian Quick and Danny Amendola to give Sam Bradford some targets in the passing game. Givens will give the Rams the ability to stretch the field and get some more explosiveness on the team. Givens was a good value pick and the highest rated remaining receiver.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Brockers
Second Round: Brian Quick, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead
Third Round: Trumaine Johnson
Fourth Round: Chris Givens

Arizona Cardinals

With the 112th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals have selected OT Bobby Massie out of Ole Miss. Massie is a great tackle prospect who fell in the draft for reasons totally beyond my comprehension. Massie is an elite right tackle who should have gone in the second round. He has proven himself against the best SEC competition. The Cardinals got a huge value here.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Michael Floyd
Third Round: Jamell Fleming
Fourth Round: Bobby Massie

Seattle Seahawks

With the 106th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have selected RB Robert Turbin out of Utah State. Turbin is a very productive back who can quickly provide quality depth for Marshawn Lynch. Turbin is a big back with good breakaway speed and the patience to let blocks develop before making his cut. He resembles Marshawn Lynch in many respects and may be groomed as his successor.

Seattle also picked up DT Jaye Howard from Florida. Howard is a legit 300-pound defensive tackle who will help solidify the inside of Seattle's defensive line, freeing up space for the linebackers Seattle has drafted this year. Howard is the first Florida Gator to be picked.

Drafted So Far

First Round: Bruce Irvin
Second Round: Bobby Wagner
Third Round: Russell Wilson
Fourth Round: Robert Turbin, Jaye Howard

Follow along with the entire NFL draft at SB Nation's main story stream and at Mocking The Draft. For more on the NFC West, you can check out Turf Show Times for the St. Louis Rams, Revenge of the Birds for the Arizona Cardinals and Field Gulls for the Seattle Seahawks.

Today, Adam Schefter sent out this tweet regarding the Raiders and Matt Leinart:

Free-agent QB Matt Leinart is likely to sign with Raiders this week during visit he has scheduled to Oakland. He would back up Carson Palmer

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2012

Leinart is a California guy and a former Heisman Trophy winner, just like current Raiders QB Carson Palmer, and was Palmer's successor at USC. Leinart played briefly for the Houston Texans last year filling in for the injured Matt Schaub, but suffered an injury himself and gave way to T.J. Yates, who led Houston to the playoffs. However, Leinart was performing well in the game in which he was injured, and Houston appeared to be in good hands with him at the helm.

Not long ago, the Raiders intimated that they were open to Terrelle Pryor being the primary backup quarterback, but even if Pryor is up to the task, a little competiton never hurt anyone, especially when that competition is a Heisman winner. Leinart would be a capable enough backup that the team would avoid the nightmare that ensued when Jason Campbell went down, with Kyle Boller proving that he wasn't cut out for the job. Leinart and Pryor would give the Raiders good depth at the position plus a luxury each team strives for- a franchise QB, a veteran backup, and a young developmental quarterback of the future.

Both Dennis Allen and Reggie McKenzie are widely known as defensive-minded guys, yet they used their first draft pick as Raider head honchos on an offensive lineman. This may have been a surprise to those who follow the team, knowng what a cesspit of horrors the defense was last year, but McKenzie stayed true to his board. He didn't reach, he didn't panic, he took the player he wanted and fulfilled a huge need- depth on the offensive line.

That being said, even with McKenzie filling all the starting roles on defense through free agency, defensive depth and talent is still a huge issue that must be addressed. A number of McKenzie's signees are on one year deals, and the Raiders will be able to save money if McKenzie can draft potential starters in the upcoming late rounds rather than shelling out big bucks to veterans.

Linebacker is a huge need, especially if the team moves to a base 3-4 defense or even if it incorporates a mixture of 4-3 and 3-4 concepts. That will require at least six good linebackers, and the Raiders have approximately two, or three if Travis Goethel returns to form from his injury. Philip Wheeler is a good player, but more is needed. I expect the Raiders to make a run at a guy like Josh Kaddu, Ronnell Lewis or Alex Hoffman-Ellis.

Cornerback is another area of need. Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartel are the de facto starters, but behind them is only Demarcus Van Dyke and Chimdi Chekwa. More depth and talent is required. Alfonzo Dennard and Chase Minnifield are still on the board, and Cliff Harris would be an interesting pick later on in the draft.

Defensive tackle is also an area of concern, as the Raiders lack the true nose tackle that is the keystone to a 3-4 scheme. Josh Chapman is currently on the board, as is Mike Martin and Alameda Ta'amu. One of these guys would be an excellent investment for the team, as Richard Seymour isn't getting any younger.

The Raiders could go any number of ways, but as long as they remain true to their board and pick the player they feel is best for the team, the Raiders will improve regardless due to what we hope is superior coaching and leadership.