2011 NFL Mock Draft, Andrew Luck will return. Do the Raiders care? Andrew Luck shook up the world of the NFL Draft today by announcing he will return to Stanford for his junior season. In related news, Jimmy Clausen was arrested for indecent exposure when he was found running, jumping and screaming stark naked in the Carolina streets.
This announcement may have a couple of effects on the Raiders. While it was unlikely, Al Davis may have had the notion of trading up in the draft to get Luck. They would have had to mortgage the farm to do it, but what Al wants—Al gets.
Now, if Davis had his eyes on any other player projected to go in the first round of the draft, they just slid up one notch on draft boards and the trading price slightly increased. This would be of the slightest consequence to the Raiders.
What may have a very real and tangible effect is that, Jim Harbaugh may be more tempted to stay at Stanford. With the presence of the Dolphins in the Harbaugh sweepstakes already diminishing the Niners' chances, this serves their Harbaugh prospect another blow. Which means, Hue Jackson continues to look like a very real possibility for the Niners.
So, in the seven degrees of Andrew Luck, the Raiders may be forced to hasten their head coach hiring process or they will have the very real possibility of drafting Luck first overall in the 2012 draft.