Both Bay Area Teams Have Impressive Drafts

Both the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders have been laughingstocks over the past seven seasons, since the Raiders and 49ers last made the playoffs. Poor drafts for both teams contributed to the demise of these once-proud franchises. For every Patrick Willis the 49ers picked, they drafted first-round busts like Rashaun Woods. The Raiders have received even less production from their top draft picks. Their past six first-round picks (Darrius Heyward-Bey, Darren McFadden, JaMarcus Russell, Michael Huff, Fabian Washington, and Robert Gallery) have not lived up to expectations for the Silver and Black.

However, the tide appears to have turned in the 2010 NFL Draft, as both Bay Area franchises significantly improved their rosters with effective drafts. First, the San Francisco 49ers needed to address their offensive line issues immediately. They were dismal in both run-blocking and pass-protection. Frank Gore and other 49er running backs had almost no running lanes throughout the year, which contributed largely to the off-year for Frank Gore. Although Gore rushed for a modest 1120 yards, he could only muster five 100-yard rushing games for the team, he rushed for under 100 yards in eight of his 14 games and could never achieve sustained excellence throughout the season.

Gore’s struggles could also point to the fact that the 49ers became a pass-happy team in the second half of the season. The team abandoned the ineffective rushing game often during the season, as Gore had 8 games in which he had 16 or fewer rushing attempts. This led to the offensive line allowed over 50 sacks in each of the past two seasons, with a league-leading 55 in 2008. This style of play is not favored by Mike Singletary, who believes in an offense with a power running game. To do that, he needed to beef up the offensive line. That’s why the 49ers drafted right tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati with their two first-round picks.

Both of these linemen play with a mean streak, which is favored by Singletary. Davis is a very physically polished tackle, who has tremendous upside. He has long arms, which will definitely help him in pass protection, though he needs work in run-blocking. Iupati is a very big and physical player, two exceptional traits for a guard. He loves to knock people over and will definitely help in all aspects of blocking. Both players provide a significant upgrade over the ineffective Adam Snyder and Tony Wragge, both of whom struggled mightily last season. With Staley on the left side and Davis on the right, the 49ers have solidified their tackle position for the next several years. Continuity on the offensive line leads to championships. Just ask the 2006-2008 New York Giants, who possessed an offensive line that played 48 straight games together.

In the next two rounds, the 49ers received two potential defensive stalwarts, who fell due to various reasons. They selected safety Taylor Mays, a physical specimen with elite speed and size. He loves physical play and can develop into a potential star under Singletary’s tutelage. In the third round, the 49ers picked up OLB Navarro Bowman, who has first-round talent with tremendous natural instincts and great physical skills. If he can clean up his off-the-field issues, Bowman can form a lethal duo with Patrick Willis at linebacker.

The Raiders equally had an impressive draft. After ranking 26th in total defense and 29th in run defense, the Raiders needed a difference-maker on defense. They found one in MLB Rolando McClain, who provides instant leadership, credibility, and play-making skills to the Raider defense. McClain is one of the smartest football players in this year’s draft and his presence provides a major upgrade over the departed Kirk Morrison. Then, they drafted DT LaMarr Houston with their second-round pick, whose quickness will help the defensive line. DT’s Gerard Warren and Gerard Joseph were ineffective last year, so Houston will provide a boost to the unit.

Offensively, the Raiders had trouble protecting the quarterback, similar to the 49ers. Their tackles allowed opposing pass-rushers to pressure the quarterback far too frequently. The Raiders upgraded this unit significantly by acquiring two solid mid-round prospects in tackles Edwin Veldheer and Bruce Campbell. Both men are physical stalwarts with tremendous upside, as Veldheer possesses a 6-foot 8-inch frame with long arms. Campbell, on the other hand, ran an unprecedented 4.84 40-yard dash at the combine and 34 reps on the 225-pound bench press. Both tackles, with seasoned training, have the potential to turn into upper-echelon tackles.

Though this draft, both the 49ers and Raiders put themselves in position to contend for their winnable division titles. San Francisco, with better offensive line play, has the pieces to put plenty of points on the board, which will significantly ease the pressure on the highly ranked defense. With Kurt Warner out in Arizona and rebuilding years in Seattle and St. Louis, the 49ers should be the favorite to win the NFC West. As for the Raiders, they should have an improved defense as a whole with the additions of McClain and Houston. If their run defense improves, they will have a chance to post a .500 record, something they haven’t achieved since 2002. All this new hope is created from the impressive drafts done by these two franchises.