Elric2056

Recently I came across an article about draft strategies pushing best player available (BPA) as the best way to build a team. But a good point that was made in the follow up comments was that this player has to be the best player available for your team.

This would mean for the Oakland Raiders you need to expect them to pick the Best Raider Available (BRA); an athlete who is a size/speed/strength specimen who can play football but may need some seasoning.

Of course, going back to the first round of 2009, I don't agree that Darrius Heyward-Bey was the best Raider available at #7 - but he was a better Raider fit then Michael Crabtree whom everyone says the Raiders should have picked. In my opinion, the BRA at that point was Brian Orakpo, a known workout warrior who would have played SLB dropping down to RDE in nickel packages. But that was last year, and DHB would still have been a top-5 player when you consider BRA.

For 2010 who I would pick as the BRA would come down to who is there when the Raiders pick at #8. If stacking a board for the Raiders based on BRA I'd list the following players as my top-5:

1. DT Ndamukong Suh
2. OT Trent Williams
3. S Eric Berry
4. DE Jason Pierre-Paul
5. OT Bruce Campbell

As Sam Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Russell Okung should be gone - and I wouldn't be surprised to also see a few of Dan Williams, CJ Spiller, Bryan Bulaga and Jimmy Clausen also gone - several players from this list should still be there and the Raiders should be able to get a good Raider for their team this year.