After patiently waiting through nearly two days of the 2012 NFL draft, the Oakland Raiders were finally able to make their first pick in the third round with the 95th overall pick at the end of the evening on Friday, April 27. It was the first without the Raiders’ iconic owner, Al Davis, who passed away just last October, making this a true milestone moment in the history of the franchise.

Their first pick of 2012 went to Utah offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom, who will most likely be competing with Cooper Carlisle for the Raiders’ left guard position. The decision was another good one, in my opinion, coming from new general manager Reggie McKenzie. Bergstrom is not a flashy choice but he’s a solid player who will work hard with the team goals in mind, rather than putting his individual achievements in the spotlight.

McKenzie called Bergstrom “tough, with great football intelligence, physical,” and I like what the 6-foot-5, 313 pounds player had to say about his worth ethic. Bergstrom told reporters in a conference call, “I’m not stranger to coming home and studying all day and spending time with the family instead of going out at night. As soon as I get my playbook, I’m going back to that lifestyle of just studying every day and doing my workouts. I think having that schedule that you get used to, that’s kind of a big part of maturity.”

The next pick for the Raiders came in the fourth round with the 129th overall selection going to linebacker Miles Burris out of San Diego State. Burris is another player who seems to have a strong passion for the game. He was a Raiders’ fan growing up in Granite Bay, Calif. and remarked, ” It’s just going to be amazing to play on that field and wear a Raider uniform.”

Burris will start out as an outside linebacker but the Raiders believe he is versatile enough to be able to move around as needed and possibly make some contributions to special teams. He also said, “I just want to contribute to this organization and am just very excited to be a Raider.”

I’m happy about this move as well, as McKenzie seems to know exactly what to do as he puts this team back together. Last year Burris was on the first team All-Mountain West Conference and in 2010 he led the team with 80 tackles, 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

The next pick was London, England born Jack Crawford out of Penn State. The defensive end had four sacks in his final three games of the 2011 regular season and is said to be a very good athlete with good size at 6-foot-4 7/8″ and 274 pounds. He only spent two years as a football player, with his first two years playing basketball and might need some help from head coach Dennis Allen before reaching his potential.

The second pick in the fifth round, the 168th overall pick, went to Arizona wide receiver Juron Criner who caught 209 passes for 2,859 yards and 32 touchdowns for the Wildcats. This is one of the more exciting moves for the Raiders and he could turn out to be the great steal of 2012.

Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi from Georgia State was a sixth round pick and the 189th overall selection. Bilukidi was born in Angola and played high school football in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He made history becoming the first NFL draft pick from Georgia State and had 89 tackles with 10 sacks over two seasons. He said he worked hard to get to this point and he should be another great addition to the Silver and Black.

Finally, the Raiders used the 230th overall pick on Penn State linebacker Nathan Stupar. Jeff Hostetler, the Raiders’ former quarterback, is his uncle. He’ll reportedly be used as a special teams contributor and could be a rotational weak-side linebacker.

As we get closer to the season start on Monday night, September 10, I think as Raider fans we have more and more to be excited about in 2012. Go Raiders!

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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Who Was the Oakland Raiders’ Best Steal in the 2011 Draft? Fan Perspective

’76 Oakland Raiders Named Greatest Team of All Time Proves Strength of Raider Nation: Fan Take

Will Philip Wheeler Sign with Oakland? Plus Raiders Trade Bruce Campbell for Mike Goodson: Fan’s Take

Oakland Raiders’ Three Compensatory Picks Another Good Sign for 2012: Fan Reaction

ALAMEDA, Calif. – When Al Davis was in charge, the Oakland Raiders seemed to come out of the NFL draft each year with a track team full of sprinters.

New general manager Reggie McKenzie looked to another sport in his first draft, taking two converted basketball players who are relatively new to football among his five picks on Saturday’s final day of the draft.

The Raiders took Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford with their first of two fifth-round picks and Georgia State defensive lineman Christo Bilukidi in the sixth round, hoping to hit big with two potential projects.

“It helps when you talk about how athletic especially big men are,” McKenzie said. “Do we go in and look for guys who played basketball? No. But when we research and get down into the scouting part of it, yes. That’s part of the process.”

Oakland also took San Diego State linebacker Miles Burris in the fourth round, Arizona receiver Juron Criner in the fifth and Penn State linebacker Nathan Stupar in the seventh.

The Raiders previously took Utah guard Tony Bergstrom with a compensatory pick at end of the third round on Friday as McKenzie had few picks to work with after previous deals had cost Oakland it’s top three picks and two others.

The Raiders are also targeting a potential backup quarterback in free agency, having scheduled a visit with former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart for next week.

“We set out to try to upgrade the team and by the end of the day we felt like we did that,” McKenzie said. “It remains to be seen just how good they will be, but we anxiously will await their presence here in Oakland and also into camp. We’re excited. It was a good weekend. We feel good about where we’ve come so far.”

Much of the day was spent bolstering depth with Bergstrom likely the only player with a strong shot to earn a starting job in training camp. Burris and Criner figure to be immediate contributors but the two converted basketball players likely need time to develop.

Crawford, who grew up in England, moved to the United States to play basketball in high school and picked up football in his junior year. He then went to Penn State, where he started the past three seasons. He had 6.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions last season.

“It’s a little emotional right now, everybody is crying,” Crawford said. “It’s so unlikely. I told myself coming into this situation that I wasn’t going to get upset if I didn’t get drafted. I have come so far already. I am just so happy. This is one of the best days of my life.”

Bilukidi, whose father was an Angolan diplomat, has even less experience.

He didn’t start playing football until his last year of high school in Canada. He then went to junior college at Eastern Arizona and finished his college career at Georgia State where he had 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in two years.

“It’s not like basketball,” he said. “Basketball is physical but football is just another game and it’s more physical. The whole contact about it, just hitting people, that’s what I like to do.”

McKenzie showed his affinity for basketball players even before the draft when he signed former Cal State Fullerton power forward Andre Hardy to a free-agent contract as a tight end even though he hadn’t played football since high school.

“We’re close to having a starting five,” coach Dennis Allen said.

McKenzie said he wanted to target players with a passion for the game and he found another in Burris with the 129th overall pick. Burris had eight sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and 78 tackles for the Aztecs last season.

“I’m a very versatile player and I pride myself on being tough and playing through every game and practice no matter how I feel and no matter what’s going on with my body,” Burris said. “I’m an explosive and powerful player and I just love the game. I love the violence of it and I just love to go out and compete.”

Criner had 31 touchdowns and 202 catches for 2,770 yards his final three seasons at Arizona but lacks the top-end speed the Raiders targeted in receivers under Davis’ leadership. He was clocked at 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which hurt his draft standing.

“There’s a difference between playing on the field and having field speed than straight-line speed,” Criner said. “So, I don’t feel like I would really having a problem fitting into that category.”

Stupar, the nephew of former Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler, started sparingly at Penn State and is projected as a special teams contributor and backup middle linebacker.

The Raiders are also looking to fill a void at backup quarterback by scheduling a tryout next week with Leinart. Leinart has a familiarity with Oakland’s offensive system because new co-ordinator Greg Knapp was his quarterbacks coach in Houston. Leinart also has a relationship with starter Carson Palmer, whom he backed up to start his college career at Southern California.

After winning two national titles with the Trojans and being the No. 10 overall pick in 2006 by Arizona, Leinart has failed to meet expectations. He started 11 games as a rookie with the Cardinals but only seven games in the past five seasons.

He got a chance to start last season with the Texans after Matt Schaub broke his right foot, but Leinart dislocated his left shoulder in the first half against Jacksonville on Nov. 27, ending his season.

“We just want to take a closer look at him, watch him throw the ball and see how his injury has come around,” McKenzie said.

Notes: The Raiders announced that they will donate 10 per cent of any new season ticket orders paid for from May 1-June 30 to the Oakland public school system.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) When Al Davis was in charge, the Oakland Raiders seemed to come out of the NFL draft each year with a track team full of sprinters.

New general manager Reggie McKenzie looked to another sport in his first draft, taking two converted basketball players who are relatively new to football among his five picks on Saturday’s final day of the draft.

The Raiders took Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford with their first of two fifth-round picks and Georgia State defensive lineman Christo Bilukidi in the sixth round, hoping to hit big with two potential projects.

”It helps when you talk about how athletic especially big men are,” McKenzie said. ”Do we go in and look for guys who played basketball? No. But when we research and get down into the scouting part of it, yes. That’s part of the process.”

Oakland also took San Diego State linebacker Miles Burris in the fourth round, Arizona receiver Juron Criner in the fifth and Penn State linebacker Nathan Stupar in the seventh.

The Raiders previously took Utah guard Tony Bergstrom with a compensatory pick at end of the third round on Friday as McKenzie had few picks to work with after previous deals had cost Oakland it’s top three picks and two others.

The Raiders are also targeting a potential backup quarterback in free agency, having scheduled a visit with former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart for next week.

”We set out to try to upgrade the team and by the end of the day we felt like we did that,” McKenzie said. ”It remains to be seen just how good they will be, but we anxiously will await their presence here in Oakland and also into camp. We’re excited. It was a good weekend. We feel good about where we’ve come so far.”

Much of the day was spent bolstering depth with Bergstrom likely the only player with a strong shot to earn a starting job in training camp. Burris and Criner figure to be immediate contributors but the two converted basketball players likely need time to develop.

Crawford, who grew up in England, moved to the United States to play basketball in high school and picked up football in his junior year. He then went to Penn State, where he started the past three seasons. He had 6.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions last season.

”It’s a little emotional right now, everybody is crying,” Crawford said. ”It’s so unlikely. I told myself coming into this situation that I wasn’t going to get upset if I didn’t get drafted. I have come so far already. I am just so happy. This is one of the best days of my life.”

Bilukidi, whose father was an Angolan diplomat, has even less experience.

He didn’t start playing football until his last year of high school in Canada. He then went to junior college at Eastern Arizona and finished his college career at Georgia State where he had 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss in two years.

”It’s not like basketball,” he said. ”Basketball is physical but football is just another game and it’s more physical. The whole contact about it, just hitting people, that’s what I like to do.”

McKenzie showed his affinity for basketball players even before the draft when he signed former Cal State Fullerton power forward Andre Hardy to a free-agent contract as a tight end even though he hadn’t played football since high school.

”We’re close to having a starting five,” coach Dennis Allen said.

McKenzie said he wanted to target players with a passion for the game and he found another in Burris with the 129th overall pick. Burris had eight sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and 78 tackles for the Aztecs last season.

”I’m a very versatile player and I pride myself on being tough and playing through every game and practice no matter how I feel and no matter what’s going on with my body,” Burris said. ”I’m an explosive and powerful player and I just love the game. I love the violence of it and I just love to go out and compete.”

Criner had 31 touchdowns and 202 catches for 2,770 yards his final three seasons at Arizona but lacks the top-end speed the Raiders targeted in receivers under Davis’ leadership. He was clocked at 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, which hurt his draft standing.

”There’s a difference between playing on the field and having field speed than straight-line speed,” Criner said. ”So, I don’t feel like I would really having a problem fitting into that category.”

Stupar, the nephew of former Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler, started sparingly at Penn State and is projected as a special teams contributor and backup middle linebacker.

The Raiders are also looking to fill a void at backup quarterback by scheduling a tryout next week with Leinart. Leinart has a familiarity with Oakland’s offensive system because new coordinator Greg Knapp was his quarterbacks coach in Houston. Leinart also has a relationship with starter Carson Palmer, whom he backed up to start his college career at Southern California.

After winning two national titles with the Trojans and being the No. 10 overall pick in 2006 by Arizona, Leinart has failed to meet expectations. He started 11 games as a rookie with the Cardinals but only seven games in the past five seasons.

He got a chance to start last season with the Texans after Matt Schaub broke his right foot, but Leinart dislocated his left shoulder in the first half against Jacksonville on Nov. 27, ending his season.

”We just want to take a closer look at him, watch him throw the ball and see how his injury has come around,” McKenzie said.

Notes: The Raiders announced that they will donate 10 percent of any new season ticket orders paid for from May 1-June 30 to the Oakland public school system.

What if you could go back in Oakland Raiders history and select the greatest players for each position, from any time period, to assemble the ultimate Raiders all-time dream team. I was having lunch with my friend Raider Rick, a hardcore season-ticket holder with seats in the infamous Black Hole of the O.co Coliseum and we started talking about who we would put on the Raiders’ all-time greats fantasy team.

Here’s our dream line-up for the ultimate Oakland Raiders offense:

Quarterback – Ken Stabler, Rich Gannon

Two of the Oakland Raiders’ greatest players and I would take Plunkett as my number three.

Running Backs – Marcus Allen, Napoleon Kaufman and Clarence Davis

Allen is one of the greatest to ever play the game and does it all, running and blocking. Kaufman isn’t huge, but he’s ultra explosive and can run. Davis has sure hands and guts. Allen is the Raiders’ career rushing leader.

Fullbacks – Pete Banaszak, Mark Van Eeghen

Both these guys are runners. They may not be huge but they will run you right over. Van Eeghen is the Raiders’ number two rusher, behind Marcus Allen.

Wide Receivers – Tim Brown, Fred Biletnikoff, “Swervin” Mervyn Fernandez and Cliff Branch

All these guys are quick, with great hands. I know Swervin Mervyn isn’t statistically one of the top-ranked Raiders receivers but this guy just had great hands and could catch anything. He was an exciting player to watch and had a tough time being recognized when he was playing with a dominant player like Brown.

Tight Ends – Dave Casper, Todd Christensen and Raymond Chester

All three are amazing athletes and Christensen had so many receptions he was almost like a wide receiver. Casper was part of some of the Raiders’ greatest plays ever, like the “Ghost to the Post” run in 1977.

Offensive Line – Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, Steve Wisniewski and Max Montoya

All three are awesome and Wisniewski’s nephew Stefen is now a Raiders lineman, building the future of the Raider Nation. Upshaw was a great leader, both on and off the field.

Center – Jim Otto

Quite simply, the greatest center to ever play in the NFL.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

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Will Raiders Share Newly Approved Santa Clara Stadium? Fan’s View

Mark Davis Might Move Raiders to Los Angeles: Fan’s Opinion

OAKLAND (CBS/AP) – For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

“It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. “Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round—the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

“We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. “That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

“Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. “But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

ALAMEDA (AP) – For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

“It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. “Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round – the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

“We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. “That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

“Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. “But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.)

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

”It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. ”Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round – the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

”We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. ”That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

”Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. ”But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

ALAMEDA, Calif. – For nearly a half-century, Al Davis ran the Oakland Raiders’ draft room in his own unique way. He coveted speed and size, seemingly ahead of almost all other attributes.

His picks often baffled so-called experts and other teams, with some turning into surprising successes and others into notable flops.

Now there’s a new man in charge in Oakland. General manager Reggie McKenzie began overhauling the organization after being hired in January and now is preparing for the team’s first draft since Davis died last October. This will be the first Raiders draft that Davis has not run since 1962.

“It’s an exciting time,” McKenzie said. “Coach Davis, this has been his deal since the Raiders were the Raiders. So, I am the new guy. This is my first time drafting after a legend has been drafting for the Raiders for so long. So, it’s huge. But I am excited about it and I am looking forward to it. There are still so many people in the organization, so I get to hear everything about how he used to do it.”

McKenzie will likely have to wait a while to make his first pick, which won’t be until the final selection on Day 2 with the 95th overall pick at the end of the third round — the first of the team’s three compensatory picks.

The Raiders traded their first-round pick last October for quarterback Carson Palmer, a second-rounder during last year’s draft for backup running back Taiwan Jones and offensive lineman Joe Barksdale, and spent a third-rounder to take quarterback project Terrelle Pryor in the supplemental draft.

Oakland also dealt a fourth-rounder to Washington in 2010 for former starting quarterback Jason Campbell and a seventh-rounder last year for starting outside linebacker Aaron Curry.

That leaves McKenzie with compensatory picks at the end of the third, fourth and fifth rounds and Oakland’s original picks in the fifth and sixth. With McKenzie unable to trade compensatory picks and unwilling to give up future high picks, it seems unlikely the Raiders will be able to pick before 95th.

“We need some depth to compete and hopefully win jobs,” he said. “That’s what we’re targeting. When we say best player, whether it’s D-line, linebacker, O-line, tight end … it doesn’t matter. We want to get a good player. We’ve got five picks. We need to make them all count.”

Davis’ drafting acumen helped build championship teams in the 1970s and 80s. He got Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ken Stabler and Hall of Fame offensive lineman Art Shell in the second and third rounds in 1968; big-play receiver Cliff Branch in the fourth round in 1972; Hall of Fame tight end Dave Casper in the second round in 1974; star cornerback Lester Hayes in the fifth round in 1977 and Hall of Fame defensive end Howie Long in the second round in 1981.

But there were more misses than hits in recent years, contributing to a run of nine straight seasons without a winning record or playoff berth.

Of the 12 first-round picks since 2001, including six players in the top 10, Nnamdi Asomugha is the only one to make a Pro Bowl. More notable were busts like quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007 or taking offensive lineman Robert Gallery over Larry Fitzgerald in 2004.

There was also the constant obsession with speed, most notably when Davis drafted Darrius Heyward-Bey seventh overall in 2009, ahead of far more accomplished receivers. Heyward-Bey had a breakthrough season last year but still has fewer receptions, yards and touchdowns than the five receivers taken after him in the first round that year.

The infatuation with speed got to the point that as soon as a player clocked in at under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, jokes immediately started that the Raiders will draft him no matter what he’s done on the football field.

Last year’s Raiders roster featured the fastest players at the last three combines and five other players clocked at 4.36 seconds or better in the 40 at the combine or their pro days.

“Speed is always going to be important,” McKenzie said. “But if you’re insinuating that speed only? No, we’re not looking for just guys that run fast. Of course we love size, and we’re going to emphasize size. But we’re going to make sure they’re good football players. Make sure they’re tough, they understand the game.”

It truly is a new era.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) Coach Dennis Allen will get a prime-time stage to the start of his tenure with the Oakland Raiders.

The Raiders will once again open the season in the back end of a Monday night doubleheader on Sept. 10 at home against San Diego. This marks the fourth time in five years that Oakland has opened in the late Monday night game.

”I’m excited about it. You grow up watching Monday Night Football and the theme song,” Allen said Tuesday. ”We’re excited about getting to open up the new era of Raider football both in the preseason on Monday night and in the regular season.”

The NFL released the 2012 schedule on Tuesday, the same day Allen held his first voluntary minicamp since taking over as Raiders coach from the fired Hue Jackson in January.

Many of the players had already been at the facility the past two weeks for voluntary offseason conditioning, but this was the first time Allen and his coaching staff could get them out on the field.

”We’re using this as an opportunity to really install a core base offense, defense and special teams,” he said. ”Really just get a chance to let the guys go through the motions of breaking a huddle lining up in a formation, lining up in a defense, lining up in a punt team formation and allow them to get a feel for what we’re going to do and how they’re going to be asked to do it.”

This is the first chance for the staff to get a firsthand look at their new players. General manager Reggie McKenzie said last week this would be a particularly important three-day test for second-year quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

The Raiders used a 2012 third-round pick to take Pryor in the supplemental draft last August but never got a chance to see what the former Ohio State star could do. He signed too late to play in the preseason and got on the field just once in the regular season, committing a false start on his only play.

”What I want to see is that every day he gets a little bit better,” Allen said. ”That’s what we’re looking for with all of our players. None of us are where we need to be right now.”

One encouraging sign was that star running back Darren McFadden was able to participate. McFadden missed the final nine games last season with a sprained right foot and never got a chance to play with new quarterback Carson Palmer, who made his debut with the Raiders later in the game that McFadden hurt his foot.

McFadden ran for 614 yards and scored five touchdowns in seven games last season. He had a big season in 2010 when he gained 1,664 yards from scrimmage and scored 10 touchdowns but has missed 19 games in four seasons because of various injuries.

”He’s one of our most explosive players on offense,” Allen said. ”He’s a dangerous weapon. We’re looking forward to finding different ways of using him and kind of exploiting his talents.”

Allen hopes to have a healthy McFadden for the entire season. Other highlights of the schedule include a Thursday night home game against Denver on Dec. 6. That comes in the middle of a three-game homestand to start December, with games also against Cleveland and Kansas City.

The Raiders end the season with their only back-to-back road games, making trips to Carolina and San Diego. They also have road games surrounding their Oct. 7 bye, going to Denver before the week off and Atlanta the following week.

The trip to Atlanta is one of five to the Eastern time zone, the most the Raiders have ever made in a regular season, including a Week 2 trip to Miami.

Oakland also hosts Pittsburgh on Sept. 23 and travels to Cincinnati Nov. 25, where Jackson returned as an assistant after being fired by the Raiders.

Read More: Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals

The Oakland Raiders’ preseason schedule was already known as of last week but the only date and time that was for certain was the Raiders’ preseason opening game on Monday Night Football at home against the Cowboys on August 13 at 5 pm PST. Now, the other home dates and times have been released.

Here is the official Raiders’ preseason schedule with dates and times:

Week 1, August 13, 5 pm PST: vs. Dallas Cowboys (ESPN)

Week 2, August 16-20, time TBA: at Arizona Cardinals

Week 3, August 25, 7 pm PST: vs. Detroit Lions

Week 4, August 30, 7 pm PST: at Seattle Seahawks

All Raider preseason games except for the opener against Cowboys will air on KTVU FOX Channel 2/KICU Action 36.

As soon as we know the exact details of the away game at the Cardinals, we will let you know as well. But now you have the details of the home games and the game against the Cowboys so you may plan your fandom accordingly.

For more on the Raiders, go to Silver and Black Pride.

As an Oakland Raiders fan, I have mixed feelings about the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I respect the institution, but have a lot of issues about how many great Oakland Raiders have yet to be “enshrined.” Raider legends like Jim Plunkett, Ken Stabler and Cliff Branch continue to be overlooked, while lesser players get in. Here’s a look at five Oakland Raiders greats who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Fred Biletnikoff

Fred Biletnikoff played for the Silver and Black from draft through retirement, clocking in 14 years. Biletnikoff caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and scored 76 touchdowns. At the time of his retirement, he led the league with the record of catching 40 or more passes in 10 consecutive seasons. He also had 70 receptions, 1,167 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns in 10 post-season games for another NFL career-record. He was an All-AFL pick in 1969 and was an NFL All-Pro in 1972 and All-AFC in 1970, 1972 and 1973. He also played in two AFL All-Star games and four AFC-NFC Pro Bowl games, along with three AFL and five AFC championship games. As the MVP of Super Bowl XI, Biletnikoff helped the Raiders beat the Vikings 32-14. He also helped the team to an amazing 16-1 season in 1976, truly one of the Raiders’ greatest seasons ever.

George Blanda

Blanda played for the Raiders at the end of his career, after seven seasons with the Houston Oilers, who thought he was done. He proved everyone wrong and played nine great seasons with the Silver and Black as a back-up QB and kicker. His NFL career started way back in 1949 but Blanda really had a great season in 1970. Over a five-game stretch, Blanda helped the Raiders win four games and tied one more with either passing or kicking or both. He was the AFC Player of the Year in 1970, at age 43. Raiders’ owner Al Davis said of Blanda’s 1970 season: “George Blanda inspired a whole nation in 1970. I really believe he is the greatest clutch player in the history of this game.”

Jim Otto

Center Jim Otto really anchored the offensive line of the Raiders for the entire 15 years he played with the team. He played in 308 games, including six AFL title games, Super Bowl II and 12 All-Star games. He played for the Oakland Raiders from 1960-1974 and is a great member of the Raider Nation. He’s one of the original Oakland Raider players who started in 1960, the very first year the team was in existence.

John Madden

I really do think Madden is the greatest football coach ever, and is still the heart and soul of the Oakland Raiders. Madden actually started as a player, he was drafted in the 21st round of the 1958 NFL Draft by the Eagles but injured himself in his rookie season and never played again. He coached for several college teams before joining the Raiders in 1967 as the linebackers coach. Madden finished with an overall record of 103 wins, 32 loses and 7 ties. Under his leadership, the team won seven Western Division titles, including the incredible five-in-a-row run from 1972-1976 and the win in Super Bowl XI in early 1977. In the 1976 and 1977 seasons, the Raiders won 17 games in a row, one short of the record at the time and they went 13-1 in 1976, one of the team’s greatest seasons ever.

Willie Brown

Inducted as part of the Class of 1984, cornerback Willie Brown came to the Raiders from the Denver Broncos in 1967 and played until 1978 with Oakland. He played in nine AFL/AFC title games and two Super Bowls. In Super Bowl XI he had an amazing 75-yard interception and touchdown to help clinch the game.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

More from this contributor:

’76 Raiders Are the Greatest Team Ever – NFL Fans Have Spoken

Oakland Raiders’ Great John Madden: Fan’s Perspective

Oakland Raiders’ Legend George Blanda: Fan’s Perspective

Oakland Raiders’ Legend Fred Biletnikoff: Fan’s Perspective

Fans like me of the Oakland Raiders now have a date and a place where the 2012 Raiders preseason will start. The Oakland Raiders will host the Cowboys in Oakland in a nationally televised game on August 13. The game will be the big national Monday night game and will be seen on ESPN, with a 5 p.m. PT kickoff. Things will start at home for the Raiders and the game will be in their O.co Coliseum. It’s the 28th time the Raiders and Cowboys have played in preseason action, with the Raiders leading the series 18-9. I think the Raiders – Cowboys games are always exciting and the two teams are probably the most loved and most hated in the NFL, which is which would depend on who you asked.

The Raiders announced their preseason schedule along with more details about their regular season opponents. I’m excited about things starting to move forward and more details about the Raiders’ 2012 schedule being announced. All this is only days after the the team convened for their first day of the Offseason Program.

Preseason Games

The Raiders will play against the Dallas Cowboys on August 13, then in Arizona against the Cardinals the next week. The Raiders will welcome Detroit to Oakland between August 23-26 with the last game against the Seahawks the next week. The times and the national TV outlets have yet to be announced. The preseason schedule seems pretty easy to me, with no great challenges. The regular season is a whole different story.

Regular Season Home Games

The 2012 NFL regular season starts with some Wednesday games on September 5, with September 9th as the first Sunday of the season. The Raiders will welcome the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Broncos, Steelers and Saints all qualified for the 2011 playoffs and will all be great games to watch.

Regular Season Away Games

Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins. Again, the Broncos, as well as the Ravens, Bengals and Falcons all had playoff positions in 2011.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

More from this contributor:

’76 Raiders Are the Greatest Team Ever – NFL Fans Have Spoken

Oakland Raiders’ European Team – SWARCO Raiders: Fan’s Look

Oakland Raiders’ Other Assassin – George Atkinson: Fan’s Look

There may be a lot of pressure on Oakland Raiders’ running back Darren McFadden to live up to this season, but he sounds ready for the challenge, and just as fired up as quarterback Carson Palmer to get the 2012 season started.

McFadden left the game early in week seven in which the Raiders faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Oakland. Many of us would like to forget that day in October that seemed to be the beginning of the end to a disappointing finish in 2011. With Jason Campbell and Darren McFadden on the field, it seemed that anything was possible.

Over a 15-day period, the Raiders’ iconic owner Al Davis died, Campbell suffered a broken collar bone and McFadden experienced a serious foot injury, and we all know how the rest of the story went.

In 2012, things are looking up. Palmer not only has the passion, but the talent and the leadership skills to get the Raiders back to their winning ways. He was missing a key player out on the field last season, never getting the chance to throw to McFadden.

This afternoon, the exceptional running back spoke to Sirius XM NFL Radio on his foot injury and the feeling that the Raiders have behind the scenes during the offseason in Alameda.

McFadden said, “I’m feeling pretty good now.” He also remarked that he can’t worry about getting hurt again because he’s got to concentrate on playing hard. He reiterated what every other player wearing the silver and black has said recently, stating, “It’s a great feeling around the organization,” and said that everyone is very excited about the new coaching staff.

The 24-year-old told Sirius XM that he also believes Palmer will do a tremendous job for the offense in 2012 and is anxious to get back out on the field again.

When McFadden is healthy, he’s considered to be one of the best running backs in the NFL. In the first game of the 2011 season, he rushed for 150 yards against Denver. It was the most ever for a Raiders’ running back in a season opener.

In barely over six games last year, he accumulated 614 yards and 113 carries with four touchdowns. In 2010, he amassed 1,157 rushing yards with 223 carries and seven touchdowns and on the receiving end he had 47 catches, 507 yards and three touchdowns.

The feeling of excitement that’s in the air is undeniable. If fans were waiting for the players on the Silver and Black to show the same passion on the field that the Raider Nation has for the team, it looks like they’re on the right track.

K.C. Dermody grew up in the Bay Area of California, and has been an Oakland Raiders fan for her entire life. She has continued her loyalty to the team through its many ups and downs over the decades, and has been privileged to meet several of her favorite players, including famed quarterback, Jim Plunkett. Follow her on Twitter @kcdermody or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kcdermodywriter.

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’76 Oakland Raiders Named Greatest Team of All Time Proves Strength of Raider Nation: Fan Take

Oakland Raiders’ Three Compensatory Picks Another Good Sign for 2012: Fan Reaction

Oakland Raiders’ Legendary Quarterback Jim Plunkett: Thoughts on the Past and the Team’s Future

Oakland Raiders’ Fan’s Look: Quarterback Carson Palmer Makes Sacrifices

Can you hear that crunch? It’s the sound of the Oakland Raiders practicing as the team started their first day of the 2012 off-season program today, April 2. The Raiders are starting their workouts and strength conditioning, all part of the preparation necessary to get ready for the 2012 NFL season.

While Oakland Raiders fans like me are all looking to the future, I like to take a look back at some of the Raiders’ greatest players and greatest plays. With the excitement of the signing of new defensive back Pat Lee, I thought it would be cool to look back at some of the Raiders’ greatest defensive backs and their accomplishments. Here’s a look at the Oakland Raiders top five longest interception returns:

102 yards – Eddie Anderson

Eddie Anderson may have been overshadowed a lot by his fellow safety, the great Ronnie Lott, but Anderson was a truly clutch player for the Silver and Black. On December 14, 1992 in a game against Miami, Anderson picked off a pass by Dan Marino and ran it back 102 yards for a touchdown. It wasn’t enough, and the Raiders lost the game 20-7.

100 yards – Chris Carr

Cornerback Chris Carr was just released by the Ravens, but was an Oakland Raider for the 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons. In a game on October 29, 2006, against the Steelers, Carr picked off a pass by Ben Roethlisbeger and ran it 100 yards for a touchdown, helping the Raiders win the game 20-16.

98 yards – Rod Woodson

Hall of Famer Rod Woodson played most of his time in Pittsburgh, but had a record setting interception during his two years with the Raiders, 2002 and 2003. On November 11, 2002, Woodson picked off a pass by the Broncos’ Brian Griese at the two-yard line and ran it all the way back for a touchdown.

97 yards – Mike Haynes

In a 13-year NFL career, Hall of Famer Mike Haynes spend seven seasons with the Raiders and 1984 was HIS year. He had 220 yards in interceptions, including a record setting long play of 97 yards. On December 2, 1984 against the Dolphins, Haynes had a 97-yard interception return, picking off a pass by Dan Marino.

94 yards – Eric Turner

Eric Turner has a sad story. After nine seasons in the NFL and two All-Pro seasons, Turner passed away in 2000 from cancer at the age of 31. On September 20, 1998, in a game against the Broncos, Turner had a 94-yard interception return, after picking off a John Elway pass. The Broncos went on to beat the Raiders, 34-17.

Although born and raised with Eagles fans in Philadelphia, Freddy Sherman has always been a citizen of Raider Nation at heart. Since his dad got him a signed George Blanda football as child, to meeting Lyle Alzado in the 1980s, he hasn’t looked back. Follow him on twitter @thefredsherman

More from this contributor:

’76 Raiders Are the Greatest Team Ever – NFL Fans Have Spoken

Oakland Raiders’ European Team – SWARCO Raiders: Fan’s Look

Oakland Raiders’ Other Assassin – George Atkinson: Fan’s Look