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Oakland’s ‘Commitment to Whatever’ rules the day

The bad news is I didn’t get to watch the NFL draft on television last Saturday. The good news is I didn’t hear Chris Berman’s voice once all day long. Rather, I attended the Maryland spring football game, which, by the way, Maryland won, and was able to follow the draft through two friends, one of whom was listening to Redskins draft coverage on his transistor radio, the other of whom was following the draft on his cell phone.

Todd Helmick, of NationalChamps.net, was the one listening on the radio, feverishly writing down the picks on his legal pad, and it seemed fitting we would be on a college campus as Helmick reminded me of me when I was in college frantically writing down everything being said during a classroom lecture. Yeah, right. He reminded me of me doing school work. Sure.

So, after the New York Jets traded up to No. 6 with the Cleveland Browns to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, I say to nobody in particular, “I guarantee you the Raiders will take Darrius Heyward-Bey with this pick. It’s gold.”

“Ain’t happening,” Helmick says, “not with Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin still on the board. I can live with Heyward-Bey late in the first round, but I’m more comfortable with him as a second-rounder.”

“I don’t disagree at all,” I say. “In fact, I agree with you. But we’re talking about the Raiders here, and we’re talking about Al Davis who sees that 4.3 40 and somewhere through the fog, sees Cliff Branch, Lamonica and Stabler and the vertical passing game. He’s just stuck in the past.”

“That’s not sound football thinking,” Helmick says. “It’s absurd is what it is.”

“Yes, it is,” I say, “which is why the Raiders will do it.”

“Nah,” Helmick says, dismissing me and my loon notion with a bored shake of his head.

Of course, we know what happened next. The Raiders took Heyward-Bey with the No. 7 and have been taking hits from all corners ever since.

During the spring game, which, by the way, Maryland also lost, they announced the Heyward-Bey development to the crowd at Byrd Stadium to a smattering of polite applause, not so much because the fans weren’t happy for Heyward-Bey and Maryland, but because they were stunned that he was taken with the seventh pick of the draft. Terps coach Ralph Friedgen said afterward that it was a great day for Maryland football, and, of course, that is one way of looking at it. Sure, it sends a great message for the Terps on the recruiting trail, but it also could have put Heyward-Bey into a no-win situation, being the nonsensical first-round pick by the most nonsensical franchise in the NFL now that Matt Millen is no longer running the Detroit Lions.

Of course, the Washington Redskins would have received even more consideration for that dubious distinction had the Jets not saved the Redskins from themselves by making the deal to draft Sanchez. Although how the Redskins would have ever been able to put themselves in the position to select Sanchez will long remain a mystery since owner Dan Snyder had already gutted this year’s draft with ill-conceived personnel moves. As it turns out, the Redskins lucked out big-time, because they were able to fill a pass-rushing need with Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo, and choosing Maryland cornerback Kevin Barnes in the third round looks to be a pretty good pick. So, yes, in this regard, despite the organizations that drafted their players, it was a great weekend for Maryland football.

As for the Baltimore Ravens, they traded up three spots to secure what numerous of the so-called draft experts are calling the steal of the draft in Mississippi offensive tackle Michael Oher. Defensive end Paul Kruger, who the team selected in the second round, has been receiving high marks as well.

As for the Steelers, they surprised some people by selecting Missouri defensive tackle Evander Hood, but drafted for need in later rounds, getting Wisconsin offensive guard Kraig Urbik in the third and Penn State center A.Q. Shipley in the seventh. Steelers fans I talked to would have liked an offensive tackle, but it’s really difficult to ever doubt this organization when it comes to selecting and discarding personnel.

Despite the grades we see being put by all the teams’ names, nobody is able to determine which team has the best draft this or any year for at least a couple or few years. The good luck award this year, however, would appear to have gone the Redskins’ way, because the Jets prevented The Scheid from making an even bigger mess of things — although he was able to completely screw with the head of quarterback Jason Campbell twice in a little over one month.

As far as experiencing the worst luck this past weekend, sorry to say, Darrius Heyward-Bey’s name gets called again.

By Mike Burke. Mike Burke is sports editor of the Cumberland Times-News. Contact Mike Burke at mburke@times-news.com.