The Oakland Raiders acquired nine talented prospects during the 2010 NFL Draft. "We made a couple of moves inside of the draft that were very beneficial for us as a football team," said Tom Cable, who enters his third season as head coach of the Raiders. "I think the thing that is most important is that we've improved our team and we filled a lot of needs and I think that's how you would categorize the draft, as a need-filled draft for the Oakland Raiders."
Day One of the NFL Draft marked the first time the first round was held on prime time television, and the Raiders selected LB Rolando McClain from Alabama with the eighth overall pick. The leader of the Crimson Tide's 2009 National Championship team earned the Butkus Award last season, which is presented annually to the nation's top collegiate linebacker.
The Raiders began a weekend of deals to begin Day Two of the NFL Draft, trading down twice from the 39th overall pick and gaining additional later round selections in the process. At No. 44, the Silver and Black snagged defensive lineman Lamarr Houston from Texas. The versatile Houston made 33 starts as a Longhorn, 20 at defensive tackle and 13 at defensive end.
Day Two came to a close with the Raiders selecting tackle Jared Veldheer in the third round, 69th overall. Veldheer, a Division II All-American at Hillsdale College in Michigan, stands 6-8 and put his skills on display against the top collegiate prospects in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star game.
Day Three of the NFL Draft saw the Raiders add six players in four rounds, including two players each in the fourth and seventh rounds.
The Silver and Black added depth on the offensive line with their first pick in the fourth round, selecting Maryland tackle Bruce Campbell. Campbell, who was selected 106th overall, possesses an impressive combination of size and speed and excelled at the NFL Combine in February.
The Raiders acquired the 108th overall pick in a trade with the Jaguars and closed out their fourth round by drafting WR Jacoby Ford from Clemson. The versatile playmaker set all-purpose yardage records in college, excelling as a pass receiver, rusher and returner.
In the fifth round, the Raiders snagged cornerback Walter McFadden from Auburn. McFadden was drafted 138th overall after starting his final 25 games at Auburn. McFadden's brother, Bryant, is a five-year NFL veteran.
Oakland added depth at linebacker in the sixth round (190th overall), selecting Arizona State's Travis Goethal. The former Sun Devil was a three-year starter at ASU, garnering All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors as a senior.
The Raiders tabbed two defensive backs in the seventh round, selecting Michigan State cornerback Jeremy Ware with the 215th overall pick and Michigan safety Stevie Brown with the 251st selection. Ware played in 25 career games with 16 starts for the Spartans, while Brown earned starting assignments at both safety and linebacker during his collegiate career.
The Silver and Black's 2010 draft haul includes six defensive players and three offensive players. The group consists of three defensive backs, two linebackers, two tackles, one defensive lineman and one wide receiver.
The nine players drafted mark the most for the Raiders since the organization drafted 11 players in 2007.
Additionally, the Raiders acquired LB Kamerion Wimbley from the Cleveland Browns and LB Quentin Groves from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for 2010 selections in pre-draft trades.
