by Brandon Call
Daily Lobo
If the top five players picked in the NFL Draft are any indication of things to come, it should be an interesting season.
As everyone expected, the Oakland Raiders went for a quarterback and selected LSU's JaMarcus Russell. Russell is probably the best quarterback of the class, but he is no savior for the Raiders' offense.
Oakland's offensive line is nowhere near the greatest. Russell also has a tendency of holding onto the ball too long. He better lace up those shoes and run a few extra wind sprints, because he will be running for his life in Oakland.
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On the positive side, the first-round pick has started working with famed coach Tom Martinez, who has also worked with Tom Brady. Is Russell the next Brady? Probably not. But expect a solid rookie outing from him next season.
The Detroit Lions cannot resist wide receivers. But who can blame them for selecting Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson as the second pick? Honestly, Oakland probably should have snatched up Johnson at No. 1. He's fast, hard-working and, most importantly, selfless.
Meanwhile, Cleveland is attempting to establish one of the premier running games in the NFL, and it might have succeeded with Wisconsin's Joe Thomas.
The Browns selected the offensive tackle for his athleticism, footwork and initial punch off the line. Expect to see Thomas in many Pro Bowls, as he will serve as the focal point for the Browns' running attack.
At No. 4, what was Tampa Bay thinking? Clemson's Gaines Adams will be John Gruden's premier pass rusher for years to come. That's great, if your defense needs the most help. But last season, the Buccaneers had more trouble scoring than a pimple-faced 16-year-old with headgear. With Johnson going at No. 2, one would think that Tampa Bay would have gone with someone to improve its offensive efforts.
The Arizona Cardinals were hoping Thomas would fall into their laps. However, the Cardinals got offensive tackle Levi Brown of Penn State instead.
This is an example of a team with a hole trying to fill that need, instead of taking the best available player. Brown is built, but he's also battled with weight and conditioning. The biggest complaint about the fifth pick is that he takes too many plays off - and that's not something you want from your first-rounder. Brown was an underachiever in college, and who's to say this will change in the pros?
