Terrelle Pryor said he was nervous about Monday morning's supplemental draft, even if there were reports that he was wearing a silver and black sweatsuit Sunday night.
"I just wasn't sure, especially with the five-game suspension," Pryor told the NFL Network after the Raiders picked him in the third round. "I had a lot of odds against me, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to play for the Raiders - one of my favorite teams as well."In drafting the Ohio State quarterback, the Raiders give up their third-round pick in next year's draft and now don't have second-, third- or fourth-round picks.
Pryor locked up his spot on the Raiders when he ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day on Saturday. He also reportedly threw the ball well. There are some concerns about Pryor's accuracy, despite his success at Ohio State, and he has said he would be willing to move to receiver or tight end if that's what an NFL team wanted.
"This young man is a quarterback," Raiders coach Hue Jackson said. "That's where we're going to start and we'll go from there."
Pryor was suspended for five games by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell upon being allowed entry into the supplemental draft, so he won't be eligible to practice with or play for Oakland during the regular season until the team's sixth game. He will be allowed to go to meetings.
The five-game suspension was for trying to undermine the supplemental draft process, but curiously was for the same amount of games he would have missed if he had stayed at Ohio State. Pryor gave up his final season with the Buckeyes after an investigation into the team's memorabilia-for-cash scandal that cost coach Jim Tressel his job.
Pryor said he wouldn't appeal the suspension, but Monday night told ESPN that he would defer to owner Al Davis on whether he should or not. One would think the Raiders would not want him to, thereby delaying a decision on whose roster spot Pryor gets until Week 6.
The 6-foot-5, 232-pound Pryor threw for 2,772 yards and 27 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in his junior season. He also ran for 754 yards and four scores while helping the Buckeyes win the Sugar Bowl. He was 31-4 as a starter.
Raiders starting quarterback Jason Campbell is in the last year of his contract, as are backups Kyle Boller and Trent Edwards.
Oakland could recoup some picks as compensation for losing Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller and Robert Gallery as free agents.
Campbell held back: Campbell did not practice, as he took another day to recover from a hit to the head sustained in Saturday's preseason game at San Francisco.
"I think he was close," Jackson said. "I know I wanted him to take another day and make sure we were totally behind anything before I stick him back out there."
Campbell has been undergoing a battery of concussion tests.
Running back Darren McFadden and receiver Jacoby Ford returned to the field after missing the first two preseason games. McFadden (orbital bone) said the location of the injury helped him get back quickly, and Ford (hand) agreed.
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