Cable prepares for Raiders’ draft

April 21, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — Tom Cable spent his first two years in Oakland rebuilding the Raiders’ offensive line with castoffs, reclamation projects and overlooked players.

That’s why his eyes lit up recently when asked about the opportunity to possibly work with one of the four “Cadillacs” available in the first round in this week’s NFL draft.

“There’s four legitimate guys that can play for anybody, regardless of what your scheme is, and probably all four can play left tackle,” Cable said. “It’s a luxury if ever there’s been one, and I don’t know if there has ever been that many good ones in the first round like that. But there is this year.”

Cable the former offensive line coach would undoubtedly love to get his hands on Baylor’s Jason Smith, Virginia’s Eugene Monroe, Alabama’s Andre Smith or Mississippi’s Michael Oher with the seventh pick of the draft.

But with two or three of those players likely to be off the board by the time the Raiders make the No. 7 pick Saturday and with other glaring needs, it’s no sure thing that Cable and Oakland owner Al Davis will go after a tackle when they are on the clock.

Cable said the Raiders have three or four needs to address in the draft, and would only specify the offensive line. But it’s clear the team could use a big-play receiver, help on the defensive line and a safety with its five picks.

While there is no safety worthy of being picked as high as seventh, the Raiders could have choices at the other positions with receivers Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, and defensive linemen B.J. Raji and Brian Orakpo.

Receiver is an especially intriguing spot considering the poor play the Raiders got at that position a year ago. Johnnie Lee Higgins led all of Oakland’s wideouts with 22 catches, and the team had just 82 receptions in all from the position.

Crabtree had 97 catches and 19 touchdowns himself last season in Texas Tech’s spread offense. But questions how that would translate into the NFL, as well as Crabtree’s speed and health following news of a stress fracture in his foot, have caused some doubts surrounding him.

“At the end of the day, it’s about touchdowns and production and if you look at that, there’s probably nobody better,” Cable said.