Oakland Raiders: B-

( Kirby Lee, US Presswire / April 30, 2012 )

The Raiders didn't get to pick until No. 95 overall but that didn't stop general manager Reggie McKenzie (above) from recognizing the team's "first round" investment in quarterback Carson Palmer, who of course Oakland landed from the Bengals in exchange for picks. Under McKenzie, the Raiders are clearly heading in a different direction than they were with the late Al Davis, as the team didn't draft a single speedster. Their one "skill" position talent, in fact, was Arizona wideout Juron Criner, arguably the top possession receiver of this draft but one who was clocked at a rather pedestrian 4.68 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. Nonetheless, this was a solid effort for the Raiders, as their first four choices could all make immediate impacts. Utah's Tony Bergstrom can help at right tackle or guard, as he did at the Senior Bowl. San Diego State's Miles Burris is an explosive hitter who would have been drafted at least a round earlier if he'd played in a bigger conference than the Mountain West and Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford is a solid, no-nonsense prospect much in the mold of the Raiders' current starter, Matt Shaughnessy. Considering they had so little to work with, this was solid effort by the Raiders.

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