FanHouse Michael Mitchell

The increase in popularity of Individual Defensive Player (IDP) leagues was easy to see coming. After all, why break down offensive players individually by position yet group all defenders as a team? Of course, when IDPs come into play, the defense can't be just an afterthought.

Sleeping on defenders while other teams amass high-sack guys like James Harrison and DeMarcus Ware, or consistent 100-tackle linebackers like Patrick Willis or Ray Lewis could leave you high and dry at critical positions. You wouldn't be stuck with Donald Driver and Devin Hester as your top two receivers, would you?

However, it'll get to that point in the draft where 20 or 30 defenders are off the board at a certain position, and you need to add a sleeper or two to your IDP core, someone who has the ability to finish in the top ten at their position. Today, I'll examine a few potential breakouts at each position -- hopefully, you'll add one or two of the good ones on draft day.

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Coming off their sixth consecutive non-playoff season, the Oakland Raiders entered the 2009 NFL draft with a number of holes. With the seventh overall pick, they couldn't have made a bad selection in terms of position. Offensive tackle, wide receiver, defense ... all would have been wise choices.

As it turns out, the Raiders went with a potential playmaking receiver for third year quarterback JaMarcus Russell. In theory, it's a solid move. Too bad they took the wrong receiver.

Everyone watching the NFL draft was shocked when the Oakland Raiders selected Ohio safety Michael Mitchell in the second round, a pick that prompted Mel Kiper, Mike Mayock and their ilk to bash the Raiders for wasting a pick on a player who would have been available later in the draft. But now there's talk that Mitchell wasn't going to be available much longer at all.

Back in the 1940s, some NFL teams used to grab a Street and Smith's college annual on their way into the NFL draft and just pick from the All-American and All-Conference teams.

Thankfully the NFL has come a long way from the bad old days. Now teams spend months scouting every potential draft pick, looking at hours of game film, timing them in all kinds of combine workouts and talking to the friends, family and enemies of every pick to get the background they need.

But then there are the Raiders, who simply write down a list of 40-yard dash times and draft from there. The Darrius Heyward-Bey pick was embarrassing, because Oakland could have likely traded down several spots if they were convinced they wanted the speedy, if inconsistent, receiver. But when the Raiders took Ohio safety Michael Mitchell in the second round, they made themselves a joke to the rest of the league.