If only the same could be said of JaMarcus Russell.

A quarterback taken with the first overall pick in the NFL draft immediately becomes his team's most valuable property, the centerpiece, the foundation of the future. It's the law. Russell was taken No. 1 in 2007 because personnel evaluators saw in him the potential for greatness.

But when a quarterback taken with the first overall pick goes to the wrong team, he can be damaged beyond repair.

Russell, 23, is in that position.

His gifts, though prodigious, were raw. Russell's best chance at reaching his potential required 1) attending every minute of every camp, 2) his own personal commitment, 3) observing an exemplary veteran quarterback, 4) a solid offensive line and 5) strong, stable coaching.

The Raiders are profoundly iNFLuential, if not completely accountable, in four of these factors and have failed in all four.

Russell missed all of training camp as a rookie because the Raiders stalled before assembling the contract he would've signed months earlier.

While coach Lane Kiffin suggested owner Al Davis pursue free agent Jeff Garcia, the veteran signed by Oakland was Josh McCown. And then Daunte Culpepper. Neither was the best role model.

The offensive line was addressed before 2007 mostly with the hiring of Cable, whose expertise is zone blocking, a scheme designed to create a quality running game.

Then there is the coaching. Kiffin's plan was to develop Russell slowly, a concession to the quarterback's absence from training camp and, perhaps, a lack of confidence in the offensive line. It made sense.

Then came this year, when neither McCown nor Culpepper returned. With Russell in camp on time, wide receivers Javon Walker and Drew Carter added to the mix and Kiffin feeling better about the O-line under Cable the head coach made it clear it was time to for Russell to accelerate his NFL development.

Ideal? No. But not unfair.

Then Carter sustained a season-ending injury in camp. Walker has been a colossal disappointment and now he says he's out for the season. So much for having wide receivers capable of balancing the offense.

So much, too, for having a trustworthy line. Kwame Harris has been predictably inadequate at left tackle. Cornell Green, a journeyman in his second season at right tackle, hasn't been much better. Russell, after nine career NFL starts, feels the walls crumbling.

Meanwhile, the coaching situation around Russell has unraveled.

Kiffin was fired in September, four games into the season, at which time Davis promoted Cable, adding head coach to his offensive line responsibilities. In the absence of Kiffin, play-calling duties went to Knapp, the offensive coordinator, who also would work more closely with JaMarcus.

That plan was trashed in the days leading up to last Sunday's loss to Carolina. The new arrangement has Cable wearing three hats at once head coach, line coach, play-caller. Knapp is a coordinator in name only, reduced to drawing a paycheck and counting the days until he is free of this lost organization.

Aside from quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, the only constant during Russell's brief career has been organizational dysfunction.

A story well circulated around the league tells of Davis blaming former coach Art Shell for selecting Michael Huff with the team's first-round pick in 2006. As the story goes, Al told Art that choosing Huff over USC quarterback Matt Leinart set the franchise back 10 years.

Should JaMarcus fail, it would be Kiffin's fault.

Though Russell could benefit from dropping 10-15 pounds, coaches consistently praise his commitment. He is still a work in progress except his progress is being retarded not by a coach but by the organization.

It's a shame that Davis, his demands changing by the minute, could short-circuit the career of someone not assured of another opportunity.

Davis, who has dedicated his life to Football, is violating a basic NFL rule: If you draft a franchise quarterback, nothing is more important than his development.

Contact Monte Poole at mpoole@bayareanewsgroup.com