2011 Mock Draft:

[Welsh Raider]

Im hoping more than anything that Bruce Campbell can win a starting spot at either RG or RT. Add to that maybe 2 o-lineman from the draft, plus Veldheer we could have 4 players that could anchor our O-line for the next 10 years.

Well that's sort of like the ultimate goal. But it's still a percentages game and I think if we consider Veldheer an unqualified success we're looking to make sure perhaps 2 out of another 4/5 prospects (Campbell + Henderson +  2/3 draftees and/or a UDFA) can also be made into good quality starters. Our hit rate at the position in recent years has been fairly poor.

Veldheer-Seemingly a major success
Campbell-To be seen
Henderson-Flat out bust as an LT, perhaps worth a shot at another position
McQuistan-Bust
Boothe-Is he a starting LG with the Giants now?
Morris-Bust
McMahon-Who?
Grove-Success, after a fashion
Gallery-Horrible reach considering he only ever became a good LG

When you put it like that it doesnt look good does it. BUT our line played fairly well the back end of last season, so there is something to build on. Langston Walker has had an OK career without ever being spectatular much like his performances last season.

I think having a poor line for so many years, has played a large part in why we've been so awful the last 8 years or so.  And thats why you've go to stick with it, and keep drafting lineman until it works.

As for Gallery, Yes he hasnt lived up to the hype of being a franchise LT, but the way I look at it is, there have been players who have been drafted in the top 10, who have only been in the league a few years, yes he's only turned out to be a decent left guard, But atleast we've had 7 years out of him. And I think its very important we bring him next year, to help Veldheer and provide and very strong Left side to the line.

[Bakuron]

Walker's a strange player. He has incredible size, but he can be so slow off the mark, and occasionally has a disastrous game. I was amazed at the contract Buffalo gave him, but they have been even worse than us in getting OLine talent together. 

For the record the list I gave was all the linemen we've drafted since 2004, so that's 9 players in 7 drafts, only one first rounder and I think two second rounders. It's a position we've 'under-drafted' when you consider the need we've had there.

Getting back Gallery certainly helps the situation. It means we have our left side locked down. But the rest is still up in the air.

[Welsh Raider]

Walker's a strange player. He has incredible size, but he can be so slow off the mark, and occasionally has a disastrous game. I was amazed at the contract Buffalo gave him, but they have been even worse than us in getting OLine talent together. 

For the record the list I gave was all the linemen we've drafted since 2004, so that's 9 players in 7 drafts, only one first rounder and I think two second rounders. It's a position we've 'under-drafted' when you consider the need we've had there.

Getting back Gallery certainly helps the situation. It means we have our left side locked down. But the rest is still up in the air.

Not great is it. Especially when you consider that most teams carry 9 O-lineman a season.

I definatly think the O-line is a major reason why we've been so poor since 02. I just think back to Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter nearly getting killed 1 season we were so bad.

[Bakuron]

Ah yes. The Art Shell year. That was by far the nadir of the modern Oakland Raiders. 2006.

The most concerning thing is that it was during that season that Shell was supposed to implement a return to the old Raider 'power-blocking' scheme, for which we drafted Boothe and McQuistan, to play tackle. Both of whom ended up as guards, and then off the team.

Let's not see a repeat of that.

[Welsh Raider]

Thats what worries me this year. The line started playing well last year, especially in run game.

Now we are changing from Zone Blocking Scheme back to a power blocking scheme. Could it be 06 all over again.

Smaller players like Satele dont really fit that scheme, so all of a sudden Centre becomes a massive need again. Whereas if we stayed in ZBS, Satele could have been fine for another year.

[Bakuron]

I actually think we started to see the change from ZBS to power over the course of the last year anyway, as Cable gradually lost more and more control over the direction of the O.

We won't have '06 all over again, the whole roster and support staff are fundamentally better all round. On Satele. It's strange he was drafted to Miami and didn't really do much there, but when they picked up Grove I seem to remember they said they wanted him because they were switching to a ZBS and Satele didn't fit. Which all seemed rather odd, and even odder when he came to us as we had just switched to a ZBS ourselves.

Satele has always seemed more like a defensive tackle than a center, so I wonder whether he might actually prefer an opportunity to use any natural power he has to get underneath the shoulder pads and drive at the D-Lineman.

[R8RMR]

I'm with the bunch advocating the need for a Centre and at least one more OL. We need greater depth and talent on the line and with only Veldheer to back-up Satele, I'm not keen on him moving again from LT to take over at C in the event of injury. He needs to consolidate and further develop his skills at the starting LT.