The Raiders dipped into familiar waters for their first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft with their choice of OG/C Stefen Wisniewski. The Penn State graduate was a top-notch player with a keen academic mind, yet it wasn’t his talent alone that links the Raiders here.
If the last name seems familiar, that’s because Stefen’s uncle, Steve, is a current coach for the Raiders and played eight Pro Bowl seasons as a lineman. Even more, Stefen’s own father, Leo, played three seasons of his own at the NFL level for the Colts.
Yet this isn’t only about the name. The National Football Post’s Wes Bunting writes, “You can tell he comes from a family of former NFL linemen. He’s technically sound, moves well through contact, sticks to blocks and looks like a guy capable of starting from day one at the next level.”
So the Raiders don’t just grab a name that’s familiar, but add a good-to-great player for the interior offensive line — a great value at a need position.