The Raiders Select A Sensation, Or A Distraction?

Hi, all!

How is everyone? Did you watch yesterday's 1st Round of the NFL Draft?

We can discuss later how the Chicago Bears made the 49ers' neophyte rookie GM look like a Hall Of Fame negotiator. For now, here are some thoughts on the Raiders' pick: Gareon Conley of Ohio State University.

Gareon Conley of Ohio State University, selected in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders.

An extremely talented player, Conley has 1st Round skills. He also has baggage, and it's not clear if the Raiders, a team with a lot of distracting things surrounding them already, can deal with even more distractions that a high-profile rookie brings into the building. This is not to say the allegations are true; rather, the Raiders have a lot on their plate right now with:

•  the move to Las Vegas, 
• dealing with a home crowd season ticket base that has not given assurances it will support the Raiders during the 2-3 year lame-duck period, and 
• the players being questioned by reporters constantly about how relocation will affect them and their families. 

Someone coming on board bringing his own "extra" for constant scrutiny and post-game questions, that probably isn't a good thing for the Raiders to have to add onto their list.

Secondly, there seems to be this soft spot for defensive-back players who are in risk of falling out of the first round due to their personal situations. DJ Hayden was one whose near-death injury in college gave teams pause to select him, yet the Raiders did anyway.

Hayden rarely played up to his draft position in his years with the team.

"Rescuing" players may sometimes be a bad idea. Some folks say it's not a risk, as they tout the investigative skill of professional NFL Security personnel to find out hidden things about players. But these are also the same professional security people who couldn't find the Ray Rice Elevator Video...something the TMZ television show was able to find quite easily.

Anyway, here is an opinion of the NFL draft (this far) from the Sporting News:

Today, the 2nd Round of the NFL Draft begins. Let us see how other needs of the Raiders are addressed.

Yours,
Afro