Reviewing the Oakland Raiders’ 4 Biggest Scouting Combine Takeaways – Bleacher Report

The Oakland Raiders are entering a new era and it’s an era where the 40-yard-dash time doesn’t automatically qualify or disqualify a prospect from being drafted by the team.

Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen will usher in the new era and changes must be made to get the Raiders under the salary cap and improve the defense.

Speed Not Emphasized

Reggie McKenzie reportedly chuckled at the notion that the Raiders would draft the fastest player in the 40-yard dash.

Al Davis believed the best athletes made the best football players, it was just a matter of coaching the players to be great. McKenzie will take a different approach, determining if the players can play first and using the combine to judge only their athletic ability and not their football ability.

Dennis Allen said during his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine:

If you got two guys that when you look at the tape, these guys are about the same football playing wise, well let’s take the faster guy. But we’re not going to take guys just because they run real fast. Because that doesn’t co-relate to being a good football player.

At best, speed is a tie-breaker for the new football regime in Oakland.

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