Over the past few days, we’ve looked back at a few drafts from the 2000s to see who the Raiders should have selected with their first-round pick. In most cases, they passed on some generational talent that could have changed the direction of the franchise in a positive way.
Today, we are looking at the 2009 draft class, where the Raiders selected wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the No. 7 pick. While Heyward-Bey never developed into a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, he did have a long career as a reserve receiver and a star special teamer.
Luckily for the Raiders, the 2009 draft wasn’t one of the better classes in recent memory. It wasn’t like the 2007 class when they passed on Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas and Adrian Peterson for Jamarcus Russell.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the four players the Raiders should have drafted with the No. 7 pick in the 2009 draft class.
1. LB Clay Matthews
In 2008, USC had arguably the best linebacking corps in college football history. With Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga and Kaluka Maiava, no team could match up with their size, speed and athleticism.
However, the best linebacker in the NFL from that team was Clay Matthews, who was just a part-time player at USC. But Matthews quickly came onto the NFL radar after posting insane numbers at the NFL Combine.
Matthews would turn into a pass-rushing demon in the NFL, totaling 91.5 sacks so far in his career. While the fit may have been somewhat clunky early on his career with the Raiders running a 4-3 defense, Matthews was an exceptional talent as he played both on the edge and off-the-ball in his NFL career. You can make a strong case that Matthews would be a top-three selection in this class in a re-draft.
2. C Alex Mack
A common theme in these pieces is the Raiders ignoring their offensive line. The 2009 offensive line for the Raiders was one of the worst in the league as Samson Satele was the team’s starter at center.
There were several quality offensive linemen in the 2009 draft, but none better than center Alex Mack. After dominating at Cal, Mack was the No. 21 pick for the Cleveland Browns. After 11 years in the NFL, Mack continues to be one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL as he has made the Pro Bowl in five of the last six seasons.
Mack would have been an instant upgrade for the Raiders in the middle of their offensive line and would have solidified the center position for more than a decade. While interior offensive linemen don’t carry as much value as other positions named in this piece, it’s hard to ignore the consistency and protection Mack provides for quarterbacks.
3. DE Brian Orakpo
If the Raiders wanted a more “traditional” defensive end, Brian Orakpo would have made a ton of sense at No. 7. Orakpo was dominant in college, totaling 17.5 tackles for a loss during his final year with Texas. On top of elite production, Orakpo was a freak athlete as he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash at 263 pounds.
Orakpo was never an elite player in the NFL, but he did make four Pro Bowls and reached double-digit sacks in three seasons. He would have easily been the team’s best defensive end until Khalil Mack arrived in 2014 and would have paired well with the future All-Pro defender.
4. WR Michael Crabtree
While any of the three players listed above would have made sense for the Raiders at No. 7, the pick the team should have made was Michael Crabtree. Heading into the draft, it seemed like a lock that Crabtree would be the pick for the Raiders as he was the consensus top receiver in the class and the team needed a No. 1 receiver. Instead, the team opted for speed over college production and it burnt them.
Crabtree eventually made his way to the Raiders in 2015 and had three good seasons as the team’s No. 2 receiver opposite of Amari Cooper. In 46 games, Crabtree caught 232 passes for 2,543 yards and 25 touchdowns. But at that stage in his career, he didn’t have the speed or burst to become anything more than a complementary player.
While he certainly didn’t have a Pro Bowl-caliber career, he was by far the best receiver in the class. It’s unfortunate that this pairing didn’t happen sooner.
