With most of the free-agent quarterbacks having found new homes and most NFL teams figuring out their QB situation, the focus at the position can now shift to the draft. That’s what Daniel Jeremiah is all about, so Monday he put out a piece detailing which teams would be the ideal fits for each of the draft’s top quarterbacks.
Sixth on the list was Jalen Hurts. He sees Las Vegas as the perfect spot for the Oklahoma QB.
Hurts is the one quarterback who keeps me up at night. He still has some improvement to make as a passer — mostly, his ability to throw with anticipation — but there’s a lot to like in this prospect, both as a player and as a competitor. He has the arm strength to make every throw on the field. He can extend plays with his legs and create big plays both throwing and running. He is very smart and his competitive spirit is outstanding. He embodies a lot of what the Raiders have tried to build since Mike Mayock took over as general manager.
The Raiders made an interesting acquisition when they inked Marcus Mariota to a deal in free agency. They made it clear to Mariota that he was coming in as the No. 2 quarterback. He’ll have a chance to revitalize his career if Derek Carr takes a step back this fall. However, I still expect Las Vegas to bring in a quarterback in the draft. Hurts will likely go in the second round. The Raiders don’t currently own a second-round pick, but I could see them trading out of one of their first-round selections to secure more draft capital.
Some of these thoughts are similar to my own, especially with regard to the acquisition of Mariota which served to allow the Raiders to draft Hurts if he is there when they want to pick him. And that wouldn’t necessarily mean they would be replacing Carr, but they could if they chose to, because for the first time since Carr took over as the starter they have would have a legit QB room, not just Carr and some backups and camp arms.
Making a trade to get back into the second round would also make a lot of sense for the Raiders. Otherwise, after pick No. 19, they wouldn’t have another selection until pick 80 in the third round. That’s a long time to wait and a lot of talent they could miss out on.
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