Sometimes being bad has its advantages and one of the big gains the Oakland Raiders get for having the third-worst record in the NFL is the opportunity to coach a team in the Senior Bowl. The game in Mobile, Ala. brings together some of the best seniors from college football in an all-star exhibition games for pro scouts. The Raiders coaching staff will be in charge of the North team which will play against the South coached by the staff of the Detroit Lions.
For Dennis Allen the experience in Alabama will help him evaluate some of the best college talent in the 2013 NFL Draft. Although underclassmen are not eligible to participate in the game, the Senior Bowl is still valuable in advance scouting. For one thing, the ability to run players through your own drills allows you to see which players will fit into your system and which won’t. You get to interact with players and learn more about their personality than any interview or workout will allow you to do.
However, the biggest advantage for Allen and the Raiders is the ability for them to look at a lot of talent in such a short period of time. Unlike some teams, Oakland is not just one player away from competing for a championship. The more players Allen can scout firsthand, the better chance Allen will be able to find the players who will be able to make a difference for the Raiders.
The full rosters haven’t been announced yet and the players have not been divided into teams, but there are already a lot of high profile players who have committed to the game and that should excite Allen.