Sapp eager to energize Raiders defensive unit

 Oakland's Next Game

Oakland on the Rise?

It's true Oakland needs help just about everywhere, but the sorry state of its offensive line was the one thing football

fans from Denver and Kansas City could depend on most for season sweeps for years to come.
        If the Broncos and Chiefs are lucky, Gallery, who didn't allow a sack in 36

games at Iowa, will turn out to be the next Tony Mandarich, but it's more likely he'll

earn tickets to Honolulu for most of his career.
        The former tight end is as quick and agile as he is strong.
        Mix his bench press of 456 pounds, squat of 620 pounds, sub-five second 40-meter sprint time and 31-inch vertical leap and its easy to see why right-handed Oakland QBs, both now and in the future, won't have to worry too much about their backside.
         The Raiders, who shored up their defensive line in the off season with the signings of Warren Sapp and Ted Washington, stayed true to form with their second pick when they selected the top center in the draft, Virgina Tech's Jake Grove.
         Grove, at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, outbenches Gallery by 35 pounds, but

 more importantly, has a mean streak.
         Mix in some of Oakland's other picks, Purdue's all-time interception leader, free safety Stuart Schweigert, speedy Texas Tech wideout Carlos Francis, who turned the fastest 40-meter sprint (4.33) at the NFL Combine, and Syracuse linebacker-trapped-in-a-wide receiver's body, 6-foot,

4-inch, 230 pound Johnnie Morant and suddenly the 2004 Raiders may have a

shot at climbing out of the AFC's cellar a

lot faster than anyone not in the Silver & Black could have hoped.