clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

NFL draft news: Raiders could reportedly take a quarterback in first round

Same story every year ...

By Bill Williamson Updated
/ new
Butler v North Dakota State
Trey Lance
Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images

Here we go again.

NFL Media reported on Friday morning that the Las Vegas Raiders could draft a quarterback in the first round if one of the top prospects unexpectedly falls.

NFL Media also reported that Las Vegas general manager Mike Mayock has been at all the major quarterback pro days this spring.

The quarterbacks expected to be taken in the first round are:

  • Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence
  • BYU’s Zach WIlson
  • Ohio State’s Justin Fields
  • North Dakota State’s Trey Lance
  • Alabama’s Mac Jones.

Only Lance and Jones have a chance to fall beyond No. 10, but even that may be a stretch. So it’s unlikely the Raiders will find a quarterback sitting there when their No. 17 pick rolls around. NFL Media reported that the Raiders have talked to Lance a lot in recent days ... if they love Lance and he is there at No. 11 or No. 12, perhaps they will try to trade up and get him.

All this Raiders quarterback talk is nothing new, of course. Mayock and Raiders coach Jon Gruden have heavily studied and even had private workouts with top quarterbacks prospects in the past two years. Every year it’s reported that the Raiders may pursue a replacement for Derek Carr, and it never happens.

In this case, the report states that the hypothetical quarterback would be stashed for the future. That means for the 2022 season. In today’s NFL, it’s rare that a quarterback is drafted in the first round and doesn’t start by his second season at the latest.

I’m not sure the Raiders are exactly in the position to draft a quarterback to stash him. They have other pressing needs. This is not a luxury year for the Raiders.

Kansas City Chiefs v Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

If they do draft a quarterback early, it would be a tense situation for Carr to say the least. He would immediately become a lame-duck quarterback. That would be an odd situation for a team that is expect to try to make a playoff push.

If the Raiders do draft a quarterback, they should trade Carr right away and let backup Marcus Mariota start until the rookie is ready. They could probably get a decent haul for Carr to fill other needs.

Will this scenario play out? Who knows. But once again, this possibility has become a topic surrounding the franchise.

Next Up In Latest News

Loading comments...