Yo, Adrian! Oakland needs you
By Connor J. Byrne on December 14, 2006 12:24 AM
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As the NFL season draws closer to its end for the 2-11 Oakland Raiders , many following the team are already thinking about April's draft. Raider Nation seems to be a major proponent of selecting Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn with the top overall pick, assuming the team lands it.
The move makes sense on paper. The Raiders have neither a QB of the future nor an identity. Naturally, Quinn, the Heisman runner-up, would be an ideal fit to fill both of those voids.
In taking a closer look, though, it's not that difficult to see Quinn could end up being too big of a gamble for Raiders owner Al Davis to take. Despite his ideal 6-foot-4, 227-pound size and outstanding intangibles, Quinn hasn't proven himself as a true winner at the college level. Every time the 22-year-old has gotten into an important game, he's played poorly, save for a 2005 matchup with Matt Leinart's USC Trojans.
Quinn's record in games perceived as 'big' is a horrific 0-4. He and the Fighting Irish have been victimized twice by the abovementioned USC, humiliated once, 34-20, by Ohio State in last January's Fiesta Bowl, and taken a 47-21 shellacking at the hands of Michigan this past September. So, obviously, Quinn appears more suited to become the next Drew Bledsoe than Tom Brady - a highly talented quarterback who simply can't get it done in the big game.
Quinn will likely end his college career at 0-5 in contests of importance, once he and fellow teammates drop the Sugar Bowl to a much stronger LSU team.
Odds are, Quinn isn't a sure thing to succeed in the pros. Oakland, a team that's made plenty of poor decisions in its recent slide, would be better off selecting a blue-chip, sure-to-be-great NFL player. For the Raiders, that means Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson. The team has a lot of money invested in ultra-bust LaMont Jordan, but it has to improve at the RB position. There's no way around it.
Peterson's the type of back capable of making a porous offensive line look better than it is, much like Larry Johnson in Kansas City. If any team knows something about a terrible O-line, it's the Raiders.
Peterson, a 6-2, 218-pound junior who is almost sure to enter April's draft, is arguably the best back in the nation. He missed the Sooners' last seven regular-season games because of a broken collarbone but managed to eclipse the 100-yard mark in each of his first six games. The 21-year-old was a Heisman Trophy front-runner prior to his injury on a touchdown scamper against Iowa State.
The next time he'll take the field? A New Year's Day Fiesta Bowl showdown against Boise State. If he thrives in that game, there's no question Peterson's draft stock will rise greatly.
Arkansas back Darren McFadden took over as the nation's de facto No. 1 back following the Peterson injury, and that's understandable. However, Peterson has proven himself over three seasons as a tremendous player. The Palestine, Texas native currently has over 700 college carries, 3,900 rushing yards and 40 total touchdowns entering what will likely be his last game at Oklahoma.
If the Raiders do take Peterson with their top five selection, it would leave many to wonder about the team's quarterback position. Perhaps Falcons backup Matt Schaub could be a future option. The soon-to-be restricted free agent has only one pro start under his belt, but he's certainly proven more than Quinn, throwing for 298 yards and three touchdowns in a 2005 loss to the Patriots.
Ultimately, Oakland would be better off with Peterson -- perhaps the next Larry Johnson -- than Quinn, likely Drew Bledsoe Part Deux.
Senior Raiders columnist Anthony Carroll returns Monday.
Get more on the Oakland Raiders at RealFootball365.com.
