Getty ImagesThe Raiders and Lions pick third, and fifth, respectively in this year’s draft.
But they’ll get the first up-close look at some of the top prospects at the Senior Bowl.
While the “honor” of coaching in Mobile, Ala., usually falls to the teams at the top of the draft order, instability can cause it to be passed along to others.
The Chiefs, owners of the top pick, don’t have a coach (at the moment). The Jaguars, picking second, are looking for a general manager, which may trigger other changes. The Eagles, picking fourth are also looking for a new coach.
So Lions coach Jim Schwartz was happy to step in.
“I think we’re fifth in line. If it would happen, we would embrace it and we would relish that opportunity,” he said, via the team’s official website. “I think there is some insight involved in getting to know those guys over a course of the week and it can confirm some of our scouts’ evaluations that have already worked very long and hard into getting guys evaluated this fall season.
“It can also maybe give us a different perspective on some other guys. Maybe we get a little bit more time with some other guys.”
Schwartz also coached the 2010 version of the game, saying the background he developed on running back Joique Bell was part of the reason they felt comfortable bringing him in.
While combine workouts and pre-draft interviews have become programmed exercises for most players, getting them in a football environment gives coaches a chance to see them when they’re reacting naturally, rather than rehearsed, and now the Raiders and Lions get the first peek behind that curtain.
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Poor kids getting saddled with the worst coach not to get fired.
Seriously though how did Schwartz keep his job?
Those poor kids
I never understood how the worst teams in football could get the responsibility of coaching these players. ” Don’t worry honey, the babysitter finally admitted she has a drug & alcohol problem but I still trust her!”
So one side is only going to kick field goals and the other isn’t going to start playing until the fourth quarter…and there are going to be a ton of penalties.
Oh, and somebody is going to get kicked inappropriately.
No excuses to draft a bust this year now!!!
Awesome, the scouts will get a chance to see how these kids fair when being led by a god awful coach…
Take advantage. The senior bowl is where the Shanahans saw/targeted Alfred Morris and Kirk Cousins to be here.
Knapp and the ZBS are what killed Oakland this year. Not so much Dennis Allen.
The 49ers coached this like 3 years in a row and it was actually pretty beneficial. I believe they netted a few good drafts from kids they scouted from the senior bowl, though I don’t remember who specifically.
Poor kids. They must think it’s some early April’s fool.
Funny how nobody thinks the worst nfl team would lose to best college team but everyone rips on nfl coaches that have the worst teams in nfl that are going to coach these college teams
Its a great thing for these teams.. The Vikings and the Redskins coached the Senior bowl last year.. Both had great drafts. I know the Vikings have cited the time they spent with guys like Harrison Smith at the senior bowl made them comfortable taking him and others when they did.. And the ‘skins got to see Alfred Morris up close.. And for where he was taken he was the steal of the draft.
Lions and Raiders fans should be pleased.
Given the Raiders and Lions did not make the playoffs then they should have already been doing some scouting work for the 2013 NFL draft.
The scouting department should know atleast 200 college players who could be draft eligible. If not then they should be fired.
Uh oh this draft class should have a lot of arrests!
Why? What did these college seniors do to deserve this fate?
Again, call Holmgren or Reid. They’re not busy or they shouldn’t be.
Did everyone else say no?
the comment about field goals and the forth quarter made made me laugh (at least I can laugh about it) but I’m glad to see the Raiders doing something for our off season I know it just started for us but it seems like other teams have started already…
Embarrassing
Big advantage for these teams, I know the Vikings used it last year to get a good look at Harrison Smith, then took the opportunity to jump up the draft and get him.
Thankfully Knapp won’t be there to teach them about learning the ZBS.
Good Riddance.
Horrible, Khan. Should have sent your staff!
For OAKLAND, this ONLY means 1 thing…that THEY are NOT in the Playoffs….this is not an HONOR….this is a CONSEQUENCE!
So both teams will suck. One of them will have 19 penalties. The other team will be face stomping their opponents and body slamming QBs.
This will help out in the later rounds of the draft….most top picks won’t play in this game.
I feel bad for the seniors, especially Schwartzs’ team… The NFL must be encouraging incompetence and inability to know the rules of the game as incoming rookies
Well see how many actually get missed through the pipeline with these Draft experts. Saints should find a bunch of gems. Again.
What a perfectly good reason to waste the potential of these young men. Do either of these staffs even know how to properly coach little league? Is Schwartz going to teach poor work habits and control of the sideline? At least the defenses wont have to worry about the Raiders ex-DC giving them ‘good’ advice.
Too bad Dennis Allen is clueless.
All the other 30 teams will be drafting juniors now that the seniors have been ruined.
Ironic that these players will be lucky to have jobs next year in the NFL, while these coaches will be lucky enough to have jobs at the college level.
The Lions are trying to find future UFA’s to make up for misses on Titus Young, any DB not named Louis Delmas, and any RB not named Joique Bell (who should start).
Also, the defensive end position opposite of Cliff Avril needs to be fixed immediately!!! Kyle Vandenbosch and Lawrence Jackson are done!!!
Can we just leave Dennis Allen there?
I’d gladly trade our No. 3 pick to have HueJack back.
Last time the lions got to coach the senior bowl there were reports all week long of how much they liked Titus young. Well, we all know how that played out. Here is to hoping Schwartz’s New Years resolution was to stop drafting losers and head cases.
Maybe they should bring in “out of work” coaches instead. Maybe have Cowher coach against Gruden or something. At least then they aren’t learning from the worst.
a Lions superbowl,,lol