New general manager Reggie McKenzie wasn’t very busy on Day 1 or, for that matter, much of Day 2 of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Raiders had traded away their first-, second- and third-round picks long before he was hired.
The first-rounder went as part of the deal for QB Carson Palmer. The second-rounder went for a pair of third-round picks in 2011 that the Raiders used to take OT Joe Barksdale and CB DeMarcus Van Dyke. They used their third-round pick in the supplemental draft to grab QB Terrelle Pryor.
McKenzie finally got to make his first pick as Raiders GM at the very end of the third round, using a compensatory choice on Utah offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom. Overall, he made six selections, one each in the third, four, sixth and seventh rounds and two in the fifth. This, understandably, is not a marquee draft class, but it has shown some promise.
Here are the early grades for the top three picks:
Top pick: OG Tony Bergstrom (third round, No. 95 overall, Utah) –- Bergstrom is running with the second team and working on the left and right sides. The Raiders are grooming him to be a backup this season they can plug in on either side in case of an injury to LG Cooper Carlisle or RG Mike Brisiel. Bergstrom still has a lot to learn, but he played in a zone blocking scheme at Utah that’s similar to the one offensive coordinator Greg Knapp uses. At 26, married and the father of two young children, Bergstrom is more mature than your typical rookie. He’s a grinder who’ll learn from Carlisle and Brisiel. Grade: C+
No. 2 pick: OLB Miles Burris (fourth round, No. 129 overall, San Diego State) –- Starting weak-side linebacker Aaron Curry is on the PUP list with injuries to both knees, which has thrust Burris into the spotlight. He has worked with the first-team defense since training camp opened and stated the first two exhibition games. Overall, Burris has handled the pressure well and hasn’t made too many glaring mistakes. At some point, though, he’ll have to start making some big plays to keep his job in Jason Tarver’s defense. Burris made a name for himself at San Diego State for his high motor and ability to get after quarterbacks. But he is still a work in progress when it comes to pass coverage. And he still makes rookie mistakes defending the run, as he did early in the game Friday night at Arizona when he bit inside on a counter fake and let Ryan Williams get past him on the outside for a big gain. Grade: B-
No. 3 pick: DE Jack Crawford (fifth round, No. 158 overall, Penn State) –- Crawford made a strong early impression in training camp as an edge pass rusher, putting his quickness and strength to good use. But a foot injury has kept him on the sidelines the first two exhibition games, forcing him to miss both game-day tests. Grade: Incomplete.
Follow Raiders reporter Eric Gilmore on Twitter: @CBSSportsNFLOAK.
