Did Calvin Johnson Run Himself Into the #1 Spot?
Heads turned when Calvin Johnson ran a 4.35 in the 40 at the NFL combine last week. Johnson was already cemented as the #1 receiver in the draft, but in less than four-and-a-half seconds, he made a case for himself as the best player in the draft period.
Still, the Raiders, in possession of the first pick, were linked to JaMarcus Russell (which makes sense, because Russell's quite athletic but possesses none of the skills necessary to be a competent NFL quarterback). But the Raiders are now looking at Jeff Garcia and the Randy Moss-to-Green Bay rumors are heating up. That would leave Oaktown with a gap at receiver. Simply put, they're positioning themselves to draft Johnson.
The key to this happening, though, is what the Raiders do at quarterback. They need to have a starter cemented to afford the luxury of Johnson. Whether that's Garcia, or David Carr, or Aaron Rodgers (who is rumored to be involved in the Moss deal), the Raiders can't take Johnson without someone to get him the ball. Andrew Walter most certainly doesn't count.
