Jamarcus Russel aka JaMonster

["THE" MoSav]

haha..it be funny if Russel fails...and Quinn..who might b drafted in the late round..has some success

itll probably go that way

quinn will go #3 to cleveland hes coming off the board early. As for JaMonster hes got the best arm the NFL has EVER see. he'll be aight

if Joe Thomas goes 2nd the browns will prolly snatch up Quinn
Ive heard they might take a T so you never know..

They def should! Anderson\Frye isnt the brightest future

[Bay Area Jat]

joe thomas will go 2nd unless the lions draft another WR

[Bay Area Jat]

 The Raiders returned from the NFL Scouting Combine less convinced that Louisiana State QB JaMarcus Russell is their man for the top pick and with more questions than before after taking a long look at him during the process. Publicly, the Raiders said nothing about Russell or any of the other players who attended the Combine. Privately, several Raider officials questioned Russell's work ethic, said they are concerned about his weight as a long-term issue, and cautioned against making Russell a lead-pipe cinch as the top pick. It now appears just as likely that the Raiders will target Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson in light of his posting a 4.31-second 40-yard dash and saying all the right things during an interview

[d-nice]

What quarterback would be available in the 2nd Round or beyond for Oakland to pick if they don't pick Russell first? They must be working on a trade package to get multiple picks.

[Bay Area Jat]

The raiders won't draft a QB in the 2nd rd and play him. If we dont get JaMonster these are our options

Brad Johnson - he can play a role and lead a team but his skills are no more than average. He could fill the role for a season.

Drew Bledsoe - once highly coveted, his career might have moved from twilight to sunset. Like Johnson, he too can get the ball distributed.

David Carr - he's available and the price is not too steep. Some believe he's not bad, others think he stinks. Until he gets an opportunity in a system that is decent, who knows?

Matt Schaub - Proven to be effective in Atlanta. The current Raiders staff know of him. If he is traded for, the Raiders might just pass on Russell.

Aaron Rodgers - again, Greg Knapp knows this guy. The rumors of a Moss-to-GB deal mention Rodgers. I dont really think this is a substative rumor but rather more of a ousider posing as an insider making it up. Besides, between Rodgers and Walter, Walter may be the better QB. Plus Rodgers does not give us the veteran experience we are looking for. And finally, the Raiders already have one young QB whose name gets misspelled.

Trent Green - While KC would not trade with us directly, they may have to part with Green to free up cash for other needs. Green is scheduled to make $7.2 mil in 2007. Latest rumors have him headed to Miami.

Luke McCown - Started 4 games for TB in 2004 and had some limited success. Unless a mysterious injury crops up, I expect his name to hit the cutting room floor in Tamper.

Koy Detmer - Not sure why this Jeff Garcia-like QB isnt being sought after by teams looking for a veteran backup. He was re-signed by the Eagles to be the 3rd string QB in the playoffs. But now is without a contract. Eagles have McNabb and AJ Feeley and Jeff Mroz, so Detmer is out. Maybe not wanted anywhere, but out nonetheless.

Joey Harrington or Cleo Lemon - If Miami is indeed interested in Trent Green as insurance against a Duante Culpepper hangnail causing his outtage, then that leaves either Cleo Lemon or Joey Harrington fighting for 3rd string. One of the two is likely a UFA is Trent Green becomes a Dolphin. My guess is Harrington gets cut as a salary saving measure.

Kyle Boller - this former Cal standout is ready to start. He showed his skills well in 2006 coming off the bench to lead the Ravens to victory. I'd be very pleased if we somehow managed to get Boller in a Moss deal with the Ravens.

["THE" MoSav]

The raiders won't draft a QB in the 2nd rd and play him. If we dont get JaMonster these are our options

Brad Johnson - he can play a role and lead a team but his skills are no more than average. He could fill the role for a season.

Drew Bledsoe - once highly coveted, his career might have moved from twilight to sunset. Like Johnson, he too can get the ball distributed.

David Carr - he's available and the price is not too steep. Some believe he's not bad, others think he stinks. Until he gets an opportunity in a system that is decent, who knows?

Matt Schaub - Proven to be effective in Atlanta. The current Raiders staff know of him. If he is traded for, the Raiders might just pass on Russell.

Aaron Rodgers - again, Greg Knapp knows this guy. The rumors of a Moss-to-GB deal mention Rodgers. I dont really think this is a substative rumor but rather more of a ousider posing as an insider making it up. Besides, between Rodgers and Walter, Walter may be the better QB. Plus Rodgers does not give us the veteran experience we are looking for. And finally, the Raiders already have one young QB whose name gets misspelled.

Trent Green - While KC would not trade with us directly, they may have to part with Green to free up cash for other needs. Green is scheduled to make $7.2 mil in 2007. Latest rumors have him headed to Miami.

Luke McCown - Started 4 games for TB in 2004 and had some limited success. Unless a mysterious injury crops up, I expect his name to hit the cutting room floor in Tamper.

Koy Detmer - Not sure why this Jeff Garcia-like QB isnt being sought after by teams looking for a veteran backup. He was re-signed by the Eagles to be the 3rd string QB in the playoffs. But now is without a contract. Eagles have McNabb and AJ Feeley and Jeff Mroz, so Detmer is out. Maybe not wanted anywhere, but out nonetheless.

Joey Harrington or Cleo Lemon - If Miami is indeed interested in Trent Green as insurance against a Duante Culpepper hangnail causing his outtage, then that leaves either Cleo Lemon or Joey Harrington fighting for 3rd string. One of the two is likely a UFA is Trent Green becomes a Dolphin. My guess is Harrington gets cut as a salary saving measure.

Kyle Boller - this former Cal standout is ready to start. He showed his skills well in 2006 coming off the bench to lead the Ravens to victory. I'd be very pleased if we somehow managed to get Boller in a Moss deal with the Ravens.

Brad Already signed a 3 yr deal with Dallas.
To get Schaubb the Raiders would have to give up a 1st and 3rd rd pick. They only have 6 draft picks as it is so that would be very stupid.

["THE" MoSav]

joe thomas will go 2nd unless the lions draft another WR

They Wont

["THE" MoSav]

What quarterback would be available in the 2nd Round or beyond for Oakland to pick if they don't pick Russell first? They must be working on a trade package to get multiple picks.

There could be a few Qb's still availble. Smith will def be there, Leak too. Kerry Kolb. There are other options. THEY DONT HAVE TO take a QB with there first pick.

["THE" MoSav]

The Raiders returned from the NFL Scouting Combine less convinced that Louisiana State QB JaMarcus Russell is their man for the top pick and with more questions than before after taking a long look at him during the process. Publicly, the Raiders said nothing about Russell or any of the other players who attended the Combine. Privately, several Raider officials questioned Russell's work ethic, said they are concerned about his weight as a long-term issue, and cautioned against making Russell a lead-pipe cinch as the top pick. It now appears just as likely that the Raiders will target Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson in light of his posting a 4.31-second 40-yard dash and saying all the right things during an interview

exactly what i said

[Bay Area Jat]

Brad Johnson - he can play a role and lead a team but his skills are no more than average. He could fill the role for a season.

Drew Bledsoe - once highly coveted, his career might have moved from twilight to sunset. Like Johnson, he too can get the ball distributed.

David Carr - he's available and the price is not too steep. Some believe he's not bad, others think he stinks. Until he gets an opportunity in a system that is decent, who knows?

Matt Schaub - Proven to be effective in Atlanta. The current Raiders staff know of him. If he is traded for, the Raiders might just pass on Russell.

Aaron Rodgers - again, Greg Knapp knows this guy. The rumors of a Moss-to-GB deal mention Rodgers. I dont really think this is a substative rumor but rather more of a ousider posing as an insider making it up. Besides, between Rodgers and Walter, Walter may be the better QB. Plus Rodgers does not give us the veteran experience we are looking for. And finally, the Raiders already have one young QB whose name gets misspelled.

Trent Green - While KC would not trade with us directly, they may have to part with Green to free up cash for other needs. Green is scheduled to make $7.2 mil in 2007. Latest rumors have him headed to Miami.

Luke McCown - Started 4 games for TB in 2004 and had some limited success. Unless a mysterious injury crops up, I expect his name to hit the cutting room floor in Tamper.

Koy Detmer - Not sure why this Jeff Garcia-like QB isnt being sought after by teams looking for a veteran backup. He was re-signed by the Eagles to be the 3rd string QB in the playoffs. But now is without a contract. Eagles have McNabb and AJ Feeley and Jeff Mroz, so Detmer is out. Maybe not wanted anywhere, but out nonetheless.

Joey Harrington or Cleo Lemon - If Miami is indeed interested in Trent Green as insurance against a Duante Culpepper hangnail causing his outtage, then that leaves either Cleo Lemon or Joey Harrington fighting for 3rd string. One of the two is likely a UFA is Trent Green becomes a Dolphin. My guess is Harrington gets cut as a salary saving measure.

Kyle Boller - this former Cal standout is ready to start. He showed his skills well in 2006 coming off the bench to lead the Ravens to victory. I'd be very pleased if we somehow managed to get Boller in a Moss deal with the Ravens.

those are pretty much our free agent options

[Bay Area Jat]

^^^ lol those are all nappy choices up there besides schaub

["THE" MoSav]

^^^ lol those are all nappy choices up there besides schaub

Trent Green is real nice IMO for a few years.
They arent getting Schaub. They would have to give up a 1st and 3rd rd picks. They onyl have 6 picks as it is

[Bay Area Jat]

Situations change, but Russell never doesBy Chris Low
Special to ESPN.com


The enormity of it all has yet to sink in, and those who've known him since
he was old enough to grip a football aren't a bit surprised.

But, hey, that's vintage JaMarcus Russell.

Down two touchdowns or up two touchdowns, he's the same quarterback. Sitting
in the pocket with all kinds of time or throwing with guys hanging all over
him, he is convinced that his next play will be his best play. Soaking up a
record-setting day or suffering through a forgettable day, he still wants
the ball at the end.

Scouting report: JaMarcus Russell
Strengths: Possesses an exceptional combination of size, strength and
mobility. He is well-proportioned and flexible with long arms and big hands.
...

Weaknesses: Despite improving in this area, he still needs to improve his
decision-making process. ...

• Complete scouting report
"I've always believed that you measure a quarterback on his bad days, not
his good days," said Jimbo Fisher, who was Russell's offensive coordinator
at LSU (Fisher left to take the same position at Florida State following the
2006 season). "When you're not having your best day, how do you respond? Can
you stay into it and manage the game? JaMarcus knew he was a great player
with great ability -- and he also knew, if something went wrong or if he
messed something up, that he would usually get another chance.

"If he got that ball at the end of the game, he was going to beat your tail
-- and he knew it."

Similarly, Russell doesn't flinch at the thought of being the No. 1 overall
pick in April's NFL draft. The Oakland Raiders are eyeing him closely with
that first selection. Russell has been in Arizona training with some of the
best receivers in the draft, including former teammate Dwayne Bowe,
Tennessee's Robert Meachem and Southern Cal's Dwayne Jarrett.

His take on the whole process?

"I'm just going to chill," said Russell, whose cool demeanor has been
mistaken for nonchalance more than a few times during his career.



John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE
JaMarcis Russell was 25-4 as a starter at LSU, including eight comeback
victories in the fourth quarter.
Never a big talker, Russell really doesn't need to. His teammates say there
is a quiet confidence about him that is infectious.

"You just learn to trust that he's going to make big plays," said Bowe, who
jokes that his hands are still swollen from catching 95 mph fastballs from
the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Russell. "He never talked a whole lot about it. He
just went out there and did it. That's why so many respected him. When he's
out there, there's no doubt in your mind that we were going to win the
game."

Russell, 25-4 as a starter at LSU, engineered eight comeback victories in
the fourth quarter during his career. He capped a scintillating close to the
2006 season by outplaying Brady Quinn and passing for a career-high 332
yards in a 41-14 drubbing of Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

Suddenly, Russell was the most coveted quarterback out there, and the
questions about his decision-making and his tendency to rely on his big
right arm had been reduced to a murmur.

"The only thing that happened is that I finally learned that I didn't have
to be Superman on every play," Russell said. "That's what you have other
teammates for, and I learned to rely on them and what they could do. I
wasn't going it alone."

Still, Russell admits that it's all happened pretty fast.

Heading into last season, LSU head coach Les Miles was noncommittal publicly
about whom his starting quarterback would be. The whole thing had
quarterback controversy written all over it. Matt Flynn was the hero of
LSU's Peach Bowl rout of Miami after stepping in for the injured Russell,
and prep phenom Ryan Perrilloux was also on campus. The Internet message
boards and radio talk shows in Louisiana were buzzing about whether Russell
should be the man, and that's despite his leading the Tigers to the SEC
Championship Game the year before.


"I look back at all the things I could have gotten into and thank God for
where I am today and where I could have been had it not been for my family."
JaMarcus Russell
"I take it one day at a time and let things happen the way they're supposed
to," said Russell, who played through torn ligaments in his throwing wrist
during the 2005 season and then separated his shoulder in the SEC
Championship Game. "Everything happens for a reason, and if things are meant
to be, they're meant to be.

"It's always been my dream to go high in the draft. But to be the first pick
in the draft, that's crazy. I still won't believe it until it happens."

Russell learned a long time ago about the importance of keeping things in
perspective.

Raised by his mother, Zina Russell-Anderson, and grandmother, Bernice
Russell, in the Oakdale community of Mobile, Ala., Russell knew the rules
and rarely bucked them.

They all lived in the same house until he was 11, and the entire Russell
family took turns keeping tabs on Russell. His uncle, Ray Ray Russell,
stepped in as his surrogate father, and to this day, they share an
unbreakable bond.

Ray Ray discovered he had cardiomyopathy -- inflammation of the heart -- and
would need a transplant in the spring of 2005. He's currently on a heart
transplant list, and JaMarcus wears a bracelet that says: Donate Life.



Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
There's a lot for the NFL to like about Russell, including his size
(6-foot-5, 265 pounds) and arm strength."JaMarcus grew up with a lot of kids
that were never going to see what the world has to offer," said Ray Ray, a
morning disc jockey on a hip-hop and rhythm and blues radio station in
Mobile. "He saw some bad things daily. The part of town we come from is not
super-duper rough, but it's rough enough.

"We preached to him daily that not everybody was given the shot he was. He
was lucky enough to have a shot, so don't mess it up. He knew that if he
dropped the ball one time, he was going to be stuck here with everybody
else."

Russell is still a frequent visitor to where it all began for him. About the
only trouble he ever got into was sneaking off to the park by himself or
tromping through mud puddles with his new sneakers.

When he returns home these days, he can't help but think about all those
kids he grew up with who didn't make it out of the neighborhood unscathed.

"I had a lot of friends that were very capable of doing certain things, but
they didn't really have that push and that guidance behind them to get
there," Russell said. "I look back at all the things I could have gotten
into and thank God for where I am today and where I could have been had it
not been for my family."

It's always been about family with JaMarcus. He was tagging along with his
grandmother to Williamson High School games (in Mobile) from the time he was
2. Bernice helped sell tickets on Friday nights, and JaMarcus was always
right by her side while his mother worked.

On Saturday mornings, they were fixtures in church, as his grandmother is a
Seventh-day Adventist.

Bernice raised eight children, and her husband died in a military accident
when her youngest child was still a toddler. Russell knew better than to
cross his grandmother -- and rarely did.

"She's a very special lady, the kind of person you want on your side,"
Russell said. "Growing up and watching my mom work the way she did and my
grandmother and all the things she went through, it just stayed with me.

"Whether things are going good or bad, you find a way to get it done."

Russell started at Williamson High from the time he was a freshman. He was
about 6-foot-1 and maybe 180 pounds when he took his first varsity snap. He
led Williamson to the Alabama 5A state championship game that year before
losing to running back Carnell Williams' team in the title game (Williams is
now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).

Russell's growth spurt came that summer, and he shot up to 6-4 and 220
pounds. All over Mobile, people were talking about the big kid at Williamson
with an even bigger arm.

His legend only grew, and by the time he left Williamson he had passed for
career totals of 10,744 yards and 84 touchdowns.

"His expression was always the same," said Bobby Parrish, who coached
JaMarcus at Williamson. "I never saw him get rattled. I honestly didn't know
what to think when we started him as a freshman. But even that young, he had
a presence about him when he stepped onto that field."

Fisher told everybody on LSU's staff that Russell had the ability to be the
first pick in the draft when the Tigers signed him. And while most marvel
about Russell's arm strength, Fisher said it was his hand motion that set
him apart.

"Yeah, he could throw it 80 yards, but he didn't need the arm," Fisher said.
"He had the ability to flick his wrist and throw it 30 or 40 yards. His
motion for a tall guy was short and compact. It wasn't elongated, and that's
something we worked on."

As the draft nears, Russell knows he'll be picked apart by all the scouts
and analysts. He's ready for it and almost invites it.

"I'll deal with it the same way I do everything else," said Russell, who
will show off his skills to the NFL again at LSU's Pro Day on Wednesday.
"You don't let those things get to you. On the field or off the field, it's
about staying calm and having the confidence to do what you've got to do.

"I've always had a sense of urgency. It's just that some people didn't
always see it."

As Russell himself says with a faint laugh, "That's just me being JaMarcus."

Chris Low covers the SEC for The (Nashville) Tennessean and is a regular
contributor to ESPN.com.

[d-nice]

What quarterback would be available in the 2nd Round or beyond for Oakland to pick if they don't pick Russell first? They must be working on a trade package to get multiple picks.

There could be a few Qb's still availble. Smith will def be there, Leak too. Kerry Kolb. There are other options. THEY DONT HAVE TO take a QB with there first pick.

That is true. Calvin Johnson would be a nice upgrade for us if we can trade Moss. He is basically a younger version of Randy Moss, and a little bigger coming out of college. I don't know about Russell though.

["THE" MoSav]

What quarterback would be available in the 2nd Round or beyond for Oakland to pick if they don't pick Russell first? They must be working on a trade package to get multiple picks.

There could be a few Qb's still availble. Smith will def be there, Leak too. Kerry Kolb. There are other options. THEY DONT HAVE TO take a QB with there first pick.

That is true. Calvin Johnson would be a nice upgrade for us if we can trade Moss. He is basically a younger version of Randy Moss, and a little bigger coming out of college. I don't know about Russell though.

What about Joe Thomas? Cant hurt start with a great left tackle