Okay, so today I wanted to talk about something that’s been bugging me for a while now: the Raiders and their knack for picking, well, let’s just say “less than stellar” quarterbacks in the draft. I’ve been doing some digging, and boy, do I have some stories for you.
The Start of My Investigation
It all started when I was watching an old Raiders game. I started thinking, “Why do they always seem to struggle at the quarterback position?” So, I grabbed my laptop and started googling. First, I compiled a list of all the quarterbacks they’ve drafted over the years. It was a long list.
Digging Deeper
Then, I dove into each player’s career. I read articles, watched old game footage (when I could find it), and even checked out some old forum posts where fans were venting their frustrations. And let me tell you, there were a lot of frustrations.
The Big Names (or Not-So-Big)
The name JaMarcus Russell popped up a lot. Man, that was a mess. I found out that an NFC general manager even warned the Raiders owner, Al Davis, not to draft him! Turns out, Russell wasn’t exactly known for his work ethic. They said he hated studying game film. The Raiders learned this the hard way after they drafted him with the first overall pick in 2007 and signed him to a huge contract. It all went downhill from there – poor fitness, tons of interceptions, and that infamous story about the blank DVD the team gave him to test his film study habits.
More Than Just Russell
But it wasn’t just Russell. I discovered other names, too. There was this guy, Eldridge Dickey, who was drafted way back in the day. We’ll never really know what he could have been. Then there’s Mike Kruczek. I found some articles suggesting he was probably a better coach than a player.
Then there is Pat Sullivan. I stumbled upon an old article mentioning that he was benched during the 1974 season. That can not be good, right?
Putting It All Together
- Started by listing all Raiders’ drafted quarterbacks.
- Researched each player’s career through articles, game footage, and fan forums.
- Focused on notable busts like JaMarcus Russell, Eldridge Dickey, and Mike Kruczek.
- Uncovered stories about poor work ethic, bad performances, and questionable draft decisions.
My Conclusion
After all this, I realized the Raiders have a history of making some pretty questionable decisions when it comes to quarterbacks. It’s like they have a blind spot in that area. I ended up spending hours going down this rabbit hole, and I just had to share it with you all. It’s a wild ride, and it makes you wonder what goes on behind the scenes in these draft rooms. I still haven’t figured out their secret sauce for picking busts, but maybe one day I will.