John Spytek has received a lot of praise for his first draft as an NFL general manager and as information continues to surface around the Raiders’ draft, the first year GM seems to look a little better with every story.
Draft analyst Todd McShay has been one of the most adamant supporters of the Spytek’s draft despite the fact the Raiders threw him a curveball just ahead of the draft.
McShay got a little bad information on Spytek’s draft board (more on that later), but he talked last week about the value Spytek got with nearly all of his picks.
“I love this draft for first-year GM John Spytek,” McShay wrote about the draft last week. “Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty is a dream player for Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly. TCU WR Jack Bech (no. 58) is a day-one starter and will be a physical slot receiver. Iowa State CB Darien Porter (no. 68) has incredible traits but is still developing. Outside of OT Caleb Rogers, every player they selected was a value based on my big board.”
Additionally, McShay raved about a couple of the later-round picks Spytek pulled off in the draft.
“Every pick on this list was of value.” McShay said on his podcast.
“Jeanty at [pick] six. Value. Jack Bech at wide receiver. He is a starter day one. [He is a] physical slot [who can] block down the field. Darien Porter [has] traits for days, still developing. So was Tariq Colen when he was coming out of UTSA. This guy [Porter] is a former wide receiver with ball skills. Dont’e Thornton. Speed, explosiveness. JJ Pegues: best running back in the Southeastern Conference,” he continued with a smile.
As for the bad information, McShay was adamant just a couple days before the draft that Jeanty wasn’t a strong option for the Raiders with the sixth pick.
He was right about Mason Graham not going to the Jaguars, but the Jeanty information was definitely contaminated somewhere along the line.
”Jacksonville is not drafting Mason Graham and I’m told the Raiders are not taking Ashton Jeanty at six,” McShay said on The McShay Show just a few days ahead of the draft.
“After talking with some people in the league over the weekend, I no longer expect Jeanty to be the pick at 6,” McShay added in his mail bag that week. “Don’t be surprised if the Raiders start a run on edge rushers at 6, with Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams the most obvious fits. Many teams have Walker higher on their board, but my gut tells me Pete Carroll could bet on traits and take Williams here.”
It does sound like his information on Jalon Walker may have been good, though.
Sports Illustrated insider Hondo Carpenter believes Walker would have been the player drafted if Jeanty had not been on the board for the Raiders with the sixth pick.
x: @raidersbeat
Who cares ? Another lame article!
At least the guy is positive negative vibes should stay with the sender season’s early pick a new team and take your negativity with you we the raiders won’t miss you at all hagd