Go Ahead, Trade Down

I also don't think it is fair to call a draft a wash just because the guy taken #1 overall was a complete failure in the NFL. That's reality. Sometimes these guys just can't hack it at the next level and that is always a risk with any pick.

I'm not calling it a wash because of the #1 pick.  I'm calling it a wash because the players at those draft slots (1, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 21) are by and large unspectacular and replaceable.  Torry Holt had an exceptional career.  Jevon Kearse had a few good years.  Beyond that, a bunch of also-rans. The ones who weren't replaced very quickly only stayed around because they had a nice hype machine keeping them employed.  Exhibit A: Roy Williams in Dallas.  People kept hyping him as "The next Ronnie Lott" even as another receiver was burnning him for a TD.    

Yeah, sorry. Your post explaining why you would call it a wash wasn't up yet when I started composing my response.

HOF's by round drafted. 
 
  [http://www.profootballhof.com/histo
ry/general/draft/round.aspx#2]

 The more you move down the higher the % that you whiff.

Says the fan of a team who has selected such great first round talent as Robert Gallery, Patrick Bates, Fabian Washington, DHB, Ricky Dudley, Rolando McClain, and the great Jamarcus Russell.  

No, there is just as much a chance to whiff in the top 10.

 

I gotta disagree with you on this one. In last year's draft there was a definite consensus cream of the crop group of top 3-5 players in the first round followed by a severe dropoff.

Fair enough, I see it differently, I think the difference is that last year we knew who the top talents were, because they were at skill positions... I'm almost certain there are at least 3 superstars in this year's draft class, so a pick in the top 3 gives us a definite chance of grabbing one, I highly doubt there are 15, so then you have to count on other teams whiffing to get your stud.

I get that we have holes to fill, the difference is in the mentality... I'm thinking 1 superstar fills more than one hole, it changes the team... this argument is fun because there is no right or wrong answer:

The guys saying don't trade down are saying there is a higher percentage chance we get a superstar-

The guys wanting to trade down are saying there's a higher percentage chance we help our team improve-

we're both right in our thinking and logic, we just are taking different approaches... I've made this point in another thread, but (Isaiah) you'd definitely get this: How much did Yoenis Cespedes change the entire A's offense last year? look at the team's record with him in there... could the team had made the playoffs with no Cespedes? no way... the superstar player made that team the best in the major leagues when he was out there.

maybe the Raiders won't draft their "Cespedes" this year... but they've got a lot higher of a chance to do so with a top 3 pick than 2 picks later-

maybe the Raiders would be better off drafting 2 starters, but I'll take that chance to get a better shot at a true superstar... I wanna roll the dice, you want the more sure thing at improving... nothing wrong with either, but I'll never agree that we're better off with a mid 1st and a 2nd rounder, never!! This is a new regime, we're just a beat down fanbase in thinking we'll 'blow it' LOL-

select Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansash, DE/OLB BYU

take the athletic freak with a ton of upside and no production or much football knowledge?

hmm sounds like a GM i used to know....

You gotta believe Reggie has a plan for this team. He has said he wants to build this team with football players, not combine freaks. If we stay at #3 I believe Reggie will surly draft BPA. This is how they did it in Green Bay. 

#1 Chiefs    Dion Jordan
#2 Jaguars  Sharrif Floyd
#3  Luke Joeckel

Obviously the Raiders are willing to trade down, but the compensation would have to be adequate.

His plan is to replace players with worse players.

Dude is in over his head.