Wide Receiver Juron Criner Allegedly Looking Good at Oakland Raiders’ Rookie Camp
The Oakland Raiders got a nice steal in the later rounds when they picked up wide receiver Juron Criner in the fifth round out of Arizona, and he is apparently making a very good first impression.
I remember hearing about another young receiver not too long ago, a kid by the name of Denarius Moore who was also turning heads at Raiders OTAs, and he continued that all the way through his rookie season, catching 33 passes for 618 yards and also contributing big time on special teams.
Criner isn’t the same kind of athlete as Moore, but according to the Oakland Tribune, he’s made a variety of really nice plays since joining the Raiders.
Rookie wide receiver Juron Criner is a guy to keep an eye on. He made at least four head-turning plays during a 20-minute span. He snared a ball thrown up for grabs in double coverage, caught a pass in that was tipped in heavy traffic, reached back for an off-the-mark throw and made an over-the-shoulder catch on a deep pass down the right sideline. [Head Coach Dennis] Allen said this is what the Raiders saw on videotape of Criner before they selected him in the NFL draft and is consistent with the way Criner has performed since he joined the Raiders. Criner’s play is reminiscent of the way Denarius Moore burst on the scene last season en route to an impressive first season.
The Oakland Raiders have a chance to be a really scary team, especially when they actually start figuring out how to play disciplined football for a consistent amount of time. The Raiders have been one of the most penalized teams in the league, but they have a lot to look forward to if Carson Palmer can get this team to rally and start playing smart football.
Juron Criner could be a piece of the puzzle for this suddenly deep wide receiver crew. The Raiders essentially replaced the departed and injury-prone Chaz Schilens with Criner, and he could see some early playing time. I’m actually really intrigued by this group that includes Darrius Heyward-Bey (who is getting better), Denarius Moore, Louis Murphy, Jacoby Ford, and now Criner. There is a really good combination of speed, athletic ability, and size here which was originally the Raiders’ goal, but it appears as though Al Davis may have actually made some good calls at this position over the last couple of years. All but one of these players was found in the third round or later of the draft, so they are all also very good value.
The real question is going to be what the Raiders do at the tight end position. As an Iowa fan, it’s important to me that Brandon Myers does well, but he currently has only 32 career receptions for 250 yards and no touchdowns. He could get a crash course to the NFL this season, along with second year player David Ausberry, a freakish athlete out of USC who will likely start as the number two tight end.