Draft Day 2008: Five alternate Oakland Raider universes

The job of Oakland's front office for Day 1 of this weekend's NFL draft just got a little easier: In fact, thanks to the Miami Dolphins’ signing of Jake Long, it got 50 percent easier. “Guessing” the Atlanta Falcons to be taking Matt Ryan at No. 3 essentially puts the Raiders second on the clock behind the St. Louis Rams with these two players off the board.This in turn would appear to leave Oakland with five ways to go at that faux No. 4. Rather than merely provide our readers with a single prediction, today gives you five predictions, glimpses into alternate universes similar to our own yet slightly different. Hold onto your virtual relativity decelerator, we’re entering the spacetime vortex!Alternative No. 1: “With the fourth selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the select 43 Polamalu black jersey
Glenn Dorsey, defensive tackle, Louisiana State University."Immediate reaction: Good, sober selection here. Dorsey will look like one bad dude in Raider black.Black cloud: Why in Madden’s name did Uncle Al give Tommy Kelly a seven-year, $50.5 million contract, with $18.125 guaranteed?Silver lining: Grabbing Dorsey, signing him early and immediately inserting him into the starting lineup would be like returning Warren Sapp to the Raiders. Except he’s a shiny new Warren Sapp.Alternative No. 2: “With the fourth selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the select Vernon Gholston, defensive end, Ohio State University.”Immediate reaction: Hmmm. The guy must’ve had one hell of a combine.Black cloud: Though a decent pickup for the ‘D’, Gholston does little for the Raiders’ awful run defense, which was 31st in yardage allowed and dead last in TDs surrendered in 2007.Silver lining: Gholston could amp up the Raider pass rush to scary levels for 2008, particularly if free-agent signing Kalimba Edwards produces as well. Just consider the pass ‘D’ Mr. Davis went out and assembled for Lane Kiffin to play with: After Gholston and Edwards, Nnamdi Asomugha’s back aboard for at least one more year, with free-agent signings DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson prospective starters. Not bad at all. Alternative No. 3: “With the fourth selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the select Darren McFadden, running back, University of Arkansas.”Immediate reaction: D’oh! I mean, whoooo hoooo! I mean, d’oh! I mean...Black cloud: Another big-money, skill-position player for the Raiders when so many of the off-ball positions need bolstering. Plus, why sign Justin Fargas to a multiyear deal? And would Kiffin really make Fargas the No. 2 guy after his breakout season of 2007?Silver lining: It says here that the finest all-around athlete on the board is McFadden and drafting Adrian Peterson didn’t hurt the Vikings too much last season now, did it? With more and more teams constructing a strong combination at halfback, a McFadden-Fargas duo in Oakland is hardly scoff-worthy. Plus, it might be prudent to install a young battery consisting of McFadden and JaMarcus Russell for the long-term well-being of the team.Alternative No. 4: “With the fourth selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, the select Chris Long, defensive end, University of Virginia!”Immediate reaction: A torrential gush of glee from the Raider Nation.Black cloud: None. No, really.Silver Lining: A Chris Long addition would be, at first glance, one of the best in team history. This kid has got, to use the parlance of our times, “the skill set” to immediately become a starter, and a potential Pro Bowl starter at that. Plus, who’s Oakland got bookending Derrick Burgess for 2008? Tommy Kelly? Huh. By the way, why in Madden’s name did Davis give Tommy Kelly a seven-year, $50.5 million contract, with $18.125 guaranteed ...?Alternative No. 5: “The have traded the 4 Brett Favre White jersey
fourth selection ...”Immediate reaction: Whoa. (Should said trade involve Pacman Jones and the Tennessee Titans, this becomes “Dude. Whoa.”)Black cloud: Depends on the deal, but couldn’t the Raiders use one youthful player after an offseason of uploading free agents?Silver lining: At least those guys’ll have something to write about until August, eh?Happy draft weekend, Raider Nation!Peering through the cracks in the spacetime continuum throughout the year at . (23)