Shaun Alexander Sebastian Janikowski

In all fairness to the organization and owner Al Davis, it may not be quite fair to revisit the 200 NFL Draft and tell them how badly they messed up by not drafting a running back from the University of Alabama named Shaun Alexander. Quite a few other teams passed up on the 2005 MVP, who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks with the 19th overall selection. He was actually the fourth player taken at his position, following Jamal Lewis (taken 5th by Baltimore), Thomas Jones (taken 7th by Arizona), and Ron Dayne (taken 11th by the New York Giants). However, I feel forced to remind Davis of how badly he botched the 17th overall pick because of the simple fact that he took a kicker in the first round. Then-head coach John Gruden (yes, I'm pointing out another Davis blunder by referring to Gruden as then-coach) lobbied hard for Davis to pick Alexander, but the stubborn owner balked, and felt the Raiders pressing need was on special teams since spotty field goal kicking cost them a playoff birth in '99. The Raiders ended up drafting Sebastian Janikowski. Granted, in 1999 the duo of Napoleon Kaufman and Tyrone Wheatley combined for over 1600 yards on the ground. They would team up for 1500 the next year before Kaufman left the game to become a minister and Wheatley began to succumb to knee, hamstring, and shoulder injuries that eventually ended his career. The problem is that at the time, it wasn't for certain that Janikowski would even be able to play in the league, as he was facing bribery charges and possible deportation back to Poland. A kicker had not been selected in the first round since 1979 when the New Orleans Saints selected Russell Erxleben of Texas with the 11th pick.Janikowski has remained a Raider his whole career and somehow avoided prison by beating the bribery charge, as well as drug and assault charges in separate incidents. He also received probation for a 2002 drunk driving conviction. His career has been above average at best. Certainly not worthy of a 17th overall pick.Alexander, on the other hand, has now posted five consecutive years with at least 1175 yards on the ground, and also claimed the NFL MVP Award this past season after rushing for 1880 yards and setting a league record with 28 touchdowns.Ironically, in the second round of that same draft, the hit pay dirt when they selected West Virginia wide receiver Jerry Porter with the 47th overall pick.