Make no mistake about it, the Raiders are trying to trade back into the first round today. For the simple reason that the boss likes to pick in the first round - owner Al Davis has done it every year since 1989.
"We're not gong to leave any stone unturned," coach Hue Jackson said.
Oakland currently doesn't pick until No. 48 in Friday's second round, having traded the No. 17 pick to New England for Pro Bowl defensive tackle Richard Seymour two years ago.
The first step to making a deal is finding a team to dance with, and the Raiders have been working the phones to see if there are teams willing to trade out of the first round (there are). The second step is finding the right player to trade up to get.
Unfortunately for Oakland, one of the prime suspects probably was erased off the Raiders' draft board on Wednesday. Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith is a top-15 talent and had slid to 26th and further in most mock drafts because of character issues.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Smith flunked three drug tests at Colorado, and one was for misusing codeine. After Oakland's problems with 2007 No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell and his alleged addiction to codeine (and Purple Drank), Davis probably didn't need to read the rest of the story.
Either way, in January, Davis said Oakland had a new team policy.
"I decided that we no longer as an organization can fight the battle of personal problems for certain players," said Davis, who blew $39 million on the out-of-shape Russell. "We tried it in the past, we had been successful with some of the greatest players who've ever played professional football, and we failed with some of the greatest players who've ever played professional football who had personal problems."
Another player whom Oakland might consider trading up to get in the early second round on Friday is 6-foot-5, 225-pound Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Even though Raiders starter Jason Campbell came on strong at the end of last season and both he and backup Kyle Boller are only 29, Kaepernick could be looked at as a long-term answer.
As a four-year starter, Kaepernick completed 58 percent (65 percent in his senior year) of his passes and threw for more than 10,000 yards. This spring, he scored a 37 on the 50-point Wonderlic test, second only to Alabama's Greg McElroy among quarterbacks.
"He is such a great fit for the Raiders," former 49ers, Rams and Cardinals scout Dave Razzano said. "He is smart and throws a great deep ball. It looks effortless and the ball just gets there, way downfield.
"And he's got a bunch of tattoos. The Raider Nation would love him."
Briefly: The Black Hole Fan Club is having a draft party with the Raiderettes at Otaez Mexican Restaurant in Alameda. Tickets are $20, to help raise money for the reward fund for slain restaurant owner and fan Jesus "Chuy" Campos, who was killed April 8 during an apparent botched robbery attempt at the Oakland branch of the restaurant. ... The last time Davis entered a draft without a first-round pick was in 2005 after he traded the first-rounder to the Vikings in the Randy Moss deal. Davis then made a deal with Seattle to get back into the end of the first round and drafted cornerback Fabian Washington, now with the Ravens.
Oakland is looking to add beef to its offensive line. And it needs some more players who can cover receivers.
Here's a glance at the Raiders' picks in the first three rounds (pending any trades into today's first round) and who might be available:
E-mail Vittorio Tafur at vtafur@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page B - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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