Oakland moved down from No. 40 to No. 47 and received fourth-…
Oakland moved down from No. 40 to No. 47 and received fourth- and sixth-round picks from New England. The Raiders selected safety Mike Mitchell, receiver Louis Murphy and end Stryker Sulak; Mitchell and Murphy both became useful NFL players, though Mitchell's best years came after leaving Oakland. New England stayed at No. 40 and chose defensive tackle Ron Brace, who played 39 games with seven career starts. Oakland received more aggregate football value and wins the deal.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- pick 2009 2nd round pick (47th overall, Mike Mitchell)
- pick 2009 4th round pick (124th overall, Louis Murphy )
- pick 2009 6th round pick (199th overall, Stryker Sulak)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2009 2nd round pick (40th overall, Ron Brace)
Trade Analysis
The Patriots entered the second round of the 2009 draft with enough capital to move around aggressively. New England sent Oakland picks 47, 124 and 199 for No. 40 and selected Boston College defensive tackle Ron Brace. The Raiders used the three acquired selections on safety Mike Mitchell, wide receiver Louis Murphy and defensive end Stryker Sulak.
Brace never became the interior fixture New England hoped to add. He appeared in 39 career games and made seven starts, with injuries and inconsistency limiting his role. For a team that spent three selections to move up, that is a disappointing return. His contribution was not zero, but it was well below the expectation attached to the 40th overall pick.
Oakland's results were mixed but stronger in total. Mitchell spent four seasons with the Raiders, gradually earning a larger defensive role before continuing his career with Carolina, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. He eventually played 145 NFL games. Murphy gave Oakland immediate receiving depth, catching 75 passes for 1,130 yards and six touchdowns across his first two seasons before his role declined. He ultimately played eight NFL seasons. Sulak, the sixth-round pick, was released before appearing in a regular-season game.
No player in this transaction became a franchise star, so the grades should remain measured. Oakland earns a B because moving down seven spots produced two players with legitimate NFL careers and several seasons of team value. New England receives a C- because Brace's limited starting impact did not justify the three-pick package. The Raiders win by accumulation rather than by landing one spectacular player.